Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
30 April 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/297) Civilian Shot by Security Forces in Van…
It is learned that a civilian named Caner Ağurtur who was looking for his lost sheep in rural areas of Çaldıran district of Van, got wounded after being shot by security forces on April 29, 2021. It is stated in the news reports that Caner Ağurtur was subjected to torture and ill-treatment of the soldiers after being shot.
Caner Ağurtur stated the following: “Yesterday our sheep got lost, the other day at around 6 a.m. I was looking for them. After approximately one hour the soldiers shot me somewhere near the border. They hit me at the leg. I screamed, ‘Take me to a hospital’ since I got wounded. I walked for 10 or 15 minutes after being shot. Then the soldiers came by me, one or two of them kicked me. I said ‘Please don’t, I have a wound’ but they did not listen. They said ‘They shot you well’ and kicked again. Then, almost 10 soldiers came by and one of them said ‘Don’t worry, it is not important. You will stay here until the villagers came here’, checking my wound. But when the villagers came to take me, they did not let them enter the area for half an hour. Then the villagers brought me to Gürpınar district first, and then to Çaldıran.”
(04/298) Preventions and Interventions Against 1 May International Labour Day Events…
The police intervened the 1 May declaration of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK), the Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions (KESK), the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), Medical Chamber of Izmir and Izmir Bar Association on April 29, 2021 and detained 3 people by using physical violence. Detained people are released after statement procedures on the same day.
The police used pepper spray to intervene participators of 1 May declaration in Çankaya district of Ankara, for they did not fold their flags and take off their vests after the declaration on April 29, 2021. It is learned that nobody was detained.
The police used pepper spray and rubber bullets to intervene members of the Socialist Labourers Party (SEP), marching to the party office after 1 May declaration in Çankaya district of Ankara on April 29, 2021. It is learned that nobody was detained.
The police prevented the group at DISK office who gathered to participate in 1 May declaration of KESK, DISK, TMMOB and Turkish Medical Association in Van on April 29, 2021, and did not let the group out of the building.
(04/299) Police Prevention to HDP’s Protest in Hakkari…
The police prevented the press declaration of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) members, held in front of the governorate’s office to protest preventions and repression on HDP, in Hakkari on April 29, 2021.
(04/300) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the symbolic funeral prayer for workers who lost their lives in labour killings, which was organized by of Labour and Justice Platform members in Üsküdar district of Istanbul on April 29, 2021. The police detained 8 people and detained people are released on the same day.
(04/301) Detained City Council Members, Political Party and Association Members and Executives in Diyarbakır…
On April 26, 2021, 12 people including HDP, Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Mezopotamya Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER) members and executives and city council members in Yenişehir, Bağlar and Kayapınar districts were detained on the grounds of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, in house raids in Diyarbakır. 12 people are arrested by the court on April 29, 2021.
Some of the arrested people are: HDP executives Ramazan Karakaya, Hamit Onur, Murat Öndeş, Sadık Tosun, Kadri Akkaya, DBP Diyarbakır former provincial co-chair Mehmet Bakır, MED-DER co-chair Rıfat Roni, Yenişehir city council member Mehmet Zeki Bağcık, Bağlar city council member Nurettin Bakan, Kayapınar city council member Songül Dağ Kapancı.
(04/302) Kobanê Case…
On April 29, 2021, the trial of the case against 108 members and executives 28 of whom are arrestees including HDP’s former co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, which was to be held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 22 on May 3, 2021; is adjourned to May 18, 2021 according to precautions for Covid-19 pandemic. The court decided to continue detention of 28 people.
(04/303) Former HDP Co-Chair and Former MP on Trial…
On April 29, 2021, Penal Department No 2 of Istanbul Regional Court approved the jail sentenced given to HDP’s former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and former Istanbul MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder. Demirtaş was sentenced to 4 years and 8 months, Önder was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months, by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ for their speeches at Newroz celebration in 2013.
(04/304) Former MP on Trial…
On April 29, 2021, Penal Department No 16 of the Court of Cassation approved the jail sentence given to Idris Baluken, former Diyarbakır MP and group deputy of HDP. Baluken was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months by Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 8 on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(04/305) CHP Executive on Trial for ‘Insulting the President’…
The final trial of the case against Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul provincial chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu, on the grounds of insulting the President on social media, is held on April 29, 2021. The court sentenced Canan Kaftancıoğlu to pay a compensation of 56,000 Turkish Liras.
(04/306) The Case Against Academician Bülent Şık…
The final trial of the case against Assist. Professor Bülent Şık, a signatory of the petition “We will not be a party to this crime”, for declaring a report of the Ministry of Health, which covers a research on cancer conducted in Antalya, Ergene and Dilovası in between 2011-2015, is held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on April 29, 2021. The findings of the report were not published by Ministry of Health, although it was carried out by the Ministry of Health, Public Health Agency of Turkey. Assist. Professor Bülent Şık then declared the findings of the report in an article series “The State conceals carcinogen products; we are concealing them! This is the list of poisonous products!”.
The indictment demands jail sentence from 5 years up to 12 years, for Bülent Şık on the charges of ‘disclosure of confidential information in respect of a duty’, ‘securing and disclosure of information that is to be kept confidential’.
After defence hearings the court acquitted Bülent Şık.
(04/307) Efe Tektekin Case…
The trial of the case against police officer İ. A., for death of Efe Tektekin (5), due to being hit by an armoured police vehicle in Bağlar district of Diyarbakır on September 11, 2019, is held at Diyarbakır Penal Court of First Instance No 9 on April 29, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for İ. A. on the charge of reckless killing.
R. E., one of the witnesses heard at the trial stated the following: “I was sitting in front of my brother’s workplace, Hayal bakery, at the time of incident. I was about 70 or 80 meters away from the incident scene. The armoured vehicle’s speed was high; it was about 70 or 80 kilometres per hour”. Another witness, I. K. stated the following: “The incident took place in front of my coffee shop. I was serving tea to my guests at the time of incident. The vehicle’s speed was around 70-80 kilometres per hour.”
The court adjourned the trial.
(04/308) Security Directorate Circular Regarding Recording Voice and Image…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 30, 2021 that, the Directorate General of Security has issued a circular “Recording Voice and Image” on April 27, 2021 and has instructed the police to prevent the people who capture the images or voices of police officers during demonstrations and to take legal action against the related people, on the grounds of “violation of privacy”. The circular states the following: “(…) kindly request that our all personnel be informed that they shall not allow for the actions resorting to recording voices and images, prevent the people who take recordings, depending on the nature of the demonstration or situation, and take legal action when the legal conditions arise”.
(04/309) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 339 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,715 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on April 29, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 37,674.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 39,737 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 4,788,700 as of April 29, 2021.
On April 29, 2021, Evran Demirbağ, a health worker in Elazığ lost his life from Covid-19.
[1]The reports on the human rights violations of the Documentation Center are claims unless they are certified. The claim of violation either is certified through thoroughly investigations of HRFT Documentation Center, including by judicial verdicts, and becomes a definite data or it is not included to the annual report.
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[5] Daily Human Rights Reports are prepared on the information gathered by the Documentation Center from its own network and the following dailies and internet portals: Vatan, Milliyet, Hürriyet, Habertürk, Evrensel, Birgün, Cumhuriyet, Fırat Haber Ajansı, Jinnews, ETHA, Mezopotamya Ajansı, Yurt, Yeni Yaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Tr724, İleri Haber, Siyasi Haber, Alınteri, Kızılbayrak, Sendika.org, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar. Haber Sol, El Cezire, BBC, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP.