Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
30 April 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/205) Restrictions and Interventions Regarding May 1…
On April 29, 2026, it was reported that BİRTEK-SEN members who were distributing leaflets related to May 1 at the Malatya 1st Organized Industrial Zone were subjected to verbal abuse by a business owner, and that the same individual threatened workers not to accept the distributed leaflets.
On May 29, 2026, it was reported that a May Day event planned by the Elazığ Public Workers’ Trade Unions Confederation (KESK) Branch Platform at the Elazığ Fırat University campus was blocked by private security units on the grounds that they were “not an authorized union.”
On April 30, 2026, at the Istanbul Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, a booth set up by members and executives of the Health and Social Services Workers’ Union (SES) in front of the cafeteria as part of May Day activities was dismantled following intervention by private security units and the police.
In a statement issued on May 30, 2026, the Istanbul Governor’s Office announced that in the districts of Beyoğlu, Şişli, Fatih, and Beşiktaş districts, all kinds of rallies, press conferences, open-air meetings, and demonstrations, as well as setting up tents, opening booths, sit-ins, signature campaigns, memorial ceremonies, and similar actions and events, effective from 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2026, for a period of one day.
(04/206) Person Detained in Diyarbakır Over Newroz Celebrations…
It was reported that on April 30, 2026, during a home raid in the Kulp district of Diyarbakır, a person named Necmeddin Kartal was detained on the grounds of Newroz celebrations.
(04/207) Persons Detained in Istanbul…
On April 29, 2026, a person named M.G. was detained in Istanbul on the grounds of a social media post related to a lawsuit filed against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, under the allegation of “publicly disseminating misleading information.” M.G. was released on April 30, 2026, by the magistrate’s court to which he was referred, subject to judicial supervision.
A person named E.T. was detained on April 30, 2026, in Istanbul on the grounds of recording video during the hearing of the same case.
(04/208) Individuals Detained in Antalya…
It was reported that on April 30, 2026, detention orders were issued for 37 individuals, including Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek—who is already in custody in connection with another investigation—as part of two separate investigations targeting the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality.
(04/209) Human Rights Defender on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing in the case against human rights defender Nurcan Kaya, filed at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13, was held on April 30, 2026. The court sentenced Nurcan Kaya to 6 years and 3 months in prison on charges of “membership in an organization.”
(04/210) Indictment Prepared Against a Journalist in Ankara…
The indictment prepared by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against journalist İsmail Arı, on the grounds of a social media post, was accepted by the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance No. 47 on April 30, 2026. The indictment seeks to punish the journalist for the crime of “insulting a public official.” The first hearing of the case will be held on September 17, 2026.
(04/211) The Trial of a Journalist in Istanbul…
The final hearing in the case filed against journalist Tolga Şardan on the grounds of one of his articles at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 2 was held on April 30, 2026. The court sentenced the journalist to five months in prison for the crime of “publicly insulting the state’s judicial organs” and suspended the pronouncement of the sentence. Regarding the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information,” the court acquitted the journalist.
(04/212) The Trial of a Journalist in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case filed against journalist Tolga Şardan at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 2, on the grounds of one of his articles, was held on April 30, 2026. The court acquitted the journalist of the charge of “publicly insulting the state’s military or security forces.”
(04/213) The Trial of Journalists in Istanbul…
The trial of journalists Barış Terkoğlu, Barış Pehlivan, Can Bursalı, Nevzat Çiçek, Doğan Akın, Gökmen Karadağ, Fatih Portakal, Can Özçelik, and Ayşenur Arslan at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 2, initiated on the grounds of the book titled “Metastaz 2: Cendere,” continued on April 30, 2026. The indictment seeks to punish the nine journalists for the crimes of “insult” and “slander.” The court adjourned the hearing until October 27, 2026.
(04/214) Journalist Under Investigation…
According to news reports on April 29, 2026, it was learned that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had launched an investigation into journalist Mine Kırıkkanat on the grounds of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility,” citing a social media post she made.
(04/215) The Trial of the Former Co-Mayor of Hakkari…
Mehmet Sıddık Akış, who was elected Co-Mayor of Hakkari in the March 31 local elections and had a trustee appointed in his place by a decision of the Ministry of the Interior on June 3, 2024, is facing a case at the Hakkari Heavy Penal Court. No. 1. Following the overturning of the 19-year, 6-month prison sentence for “leading an organization” by the Van Heavy Penal Court of Appeal, the final hearing of the retrial was held on April 29, 2026. The court once again sentenced Sıddık Akış to 19 years and 6 months in prison for the same charge.
Mehmet Sıddık Akış had been sentenced to 19 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of “leading an organization” at the final hearing of the case held on June 5, 2024, and was taken into custody upon the verdict.
(04/216) The Trial of a Lawyer in Diyarbakır…
Following the overturning by the 9th Criminal Chamber of the Diyarbakır Regional Court of Appeals of the acquittal ruling issued in the case filed against lawyer Özüm Vurgun, a member of the ÖHD, at the Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 4, the retrial resumed on April 30, 2026. The indictment seeks to punish the lawyer for the crime of “being a member of an organization.” The court adjourned the hearing until September 24, 2026.
(04/217) Individuals on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing in the case filed at the Istanbul Bakırköy 7th Criminal Court of First Instance against 12 people detained during a police intervention at a protest targeting companies supplying weapons to Israel at the IDEF 2025 Defense Industry Fair was held on April 29, 2026. The court acquitted the 12 individuals of the charge of “insulting the President.”
(04/218) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of singer Fatih Karaca, known as Mabel Matiz, continued on April 30, 2026, at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 54, on the grounds of his song titled “Perperişan.” The indictment seeks to punish the artist for the crime of “facilitating the publication of obscene materials.” The court adjourned the hearing until May 8, 2026.
(04/219) Internet Content Subject to Access Restrictions…
It was learned that access to three news articles regarding the former Ankara Police Chief published on https://www.diken.com.tr/, https://haber.sol.org.tr/, https://www.evrensel.net/, was blocked by a decision of the Ankara 11th Criminal Court of Peace dated April 15, 2026, on the grounds of protecting national security and public order.
It was learnt that access to three news articles regarding a doctor who was detained and charged after having an argument with a prosecutor in Osmaniye, published on the websites https://www.evrensel.net/, https://bianet.org/, https://ankahaber.net/, was blocked by a decision of the the Adana Criminal Court of Peace No 1 dated April 27, 2026, on the grounds of protecting national security and public order.
According to news reports published on April 28, 2026, access to three news articles regarding an armed attack at a school in the Siverek district of Urfa, published on the websites https://www.cnnturk.com/, https://www.haberturk.com/, ttps://www.ahaber.com.tr/, were blocked under Article 8/A of Law No. 5651 on the grounds of protecting national security and public order.
It was learnt that access to three news articles published on websites https://www.diken.com.tr/, https://www.birgun.net/, https://haber.sol.org.tr/, as well as 14 entries on the https://eksisozluk.com/ website, were blocked by a decision of the Istanbul Criminal Court of Peace No. 2 dated April 28, 2026, on the grounds of protecting national security and public order.
It is learnt that acess to nine news articles on the statements made by the Chairman of the Republican People’s Party regarding the CEO of İhlas Holding, available on the websites https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/, https://www.sozcu.com.tr/, https://bianet.org/, https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com/, https://www.birgun.net/ (2 news articles), https://www.gazetepencere.com/, https://www.evrensel.net/, https://www.diken.com.tr/, were blocked by the Istanbul Criminal Court of Peace no. 6 on April 29, 2026, on the grounds of protecting national security and public order.
[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.