Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
30 August-2 September 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(09/001) Person Who Lost His Life Due to a Racist Attack in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of 1 September 2024 that 3 citizens of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) who were having a meal in a restaurant in the Aksaray district of Istanbul, were wounded due to an attack allegedly on the grounds of speaking Kurdish on the phone. 1 person named Hakim Lokman lost his life in hospital.
Berivan Barin, the lawyer of the attacked persons, stated the following to the press: “The incident occurred around 11.00 pm yesterday evening. They (Lokman and his cousins) came from Dubai yesterday. There was a cafe in front of the hotel where they stayed, they were having dinner there. While they were chatting among themselves in Kurdish, they were verbally harassed by 4 people they did not recognise. They had a small argument and then they left the café. Then the people they had an argument with also left the place. Their number (the attackers) became 10-12 people. We do not know who the people who later joined the argument were and what their motives were. Someone stabbed Hakim Lokman just opposite the venue. The ambulance arrives late. Two people (Lokman’s cousins) then go to the police station to give information. They were subjected to ill-treatment at the police station. They were not given food and water. They were searched 4 times.’
The Presidential Communications Directorate’s Centre for Combating Disinformation made the following statement on 2 September 2024: “The claim shared on some social media accounts that ‘H. L. T. was attacked and lost his life because he spoke Kurdish in a cafe’ is not true. The allegations about the attack on the deceased named H. L. T., who came to Istanbul for touristic purposes, are provocative. As a result of the investigations, it has been determined that 3 tourists named H. L. T., S. M. T. and B. A. K. had a fight with H. O. and his brother Z. O., who are registered in the population of Batman, in an alcoholic venue in Fatih district due to ‘ wrong looks at women’. It was determined that U. Y., the security guard of the venue, beat the 3 tourists and took them out of the venue, at that time H. O. injured the deceased H. L. T. in 2 places with the knife he took from the table. While the injured H. L. T. lost his life, it was determined that the suspect H. O., his brother Z. O. and security guard U.Y. fled from the scene. Investigations on the subject are continuing urgently. Do not rely on provocations aimed at inciting the public to hatred and hostility’.
(09/002) Person of Syrian Origin Lost His Life Due to Racist Violence in Bursa…
It is learned from the news coverage of 2 September 2024 that, Efe G. (16, m) and Hani K. (23, m) from Syria had a quarrel in İnegöl district of Bursa and Efe G. attacked Hani K. with a knife and Hani K. who was wounded lost his life in hospital. It is also reported in the news that Efe G. is detained and the investigation on the attack is ongoing.
(09/003) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Tunceli…
It is learned from the news coverage of 1 September 2024 that, the police raided a tea house in the Ovacık district of Tunceli and detained a person named E. K. through physical violence. It is also claimed in the news reports that the police officers pointed guns at the people around who reacted against torture and ill-treatment and opened fire in the air.
(09/004) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of 1 September 2024 that, 1 person in the Yenişehir district of Diyarbakır was detained by the police and neighborhood watchers with the use of physical violence on the street. It is also reported in the news that people reacting against torture and ill-treatment were intervened with tear gas by the police.
(09/005) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Batman…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 2, 2024, that a police officer detained 1 person in the central district of Batman by using verbal and physical violence. It is also reported that people reacting against torture and ill-treatment were also subjected to verbal violence of the same police officer. It is not known the name of the detained person and the reason for the detention. It is reported that the detained person was released after statement procedures.
(09/006) Football Fans Praising a JITEM Officer…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 31, 2024, that a group of Sakaryaspor fans who went to the football match between Amedspor and Sakaryaspor at Istanbul Olimpiyat Stadium on August 28, 2024, shared photos of themselves in a minibus wearing masks with photos of Mahmut Yıldırım, a JITEM member whose name is identified with extrajudicial killings, on their social media accounts. It is also reported in the news that 11 Sakaryaspor fans were detained on the grounds of ‘inciting hatred and hostility among people’ in house raids through the investigation initiated by Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and were released after statement procedures at the police.
(09/007) Lawyer Targeted with Racist and Sexist Social Media Posts…
It is learned from the news coverage of 30 August 2024 that, lawyer Jiyan Çağırtekin, a member of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), was targeted by various social media accounts with racist and sexist social media posts for a social media post she made.
(09/008) Lawyer Targeted with Racist Social Media Posts…
It is learned from the news coverage of 30 August 2024 that Bermal Yildeniz, a lawyer who took oath in Turkish and Kurdish at Diyarbakır Bar Association, was targeted by racist posts on social media accounts.
(09/009) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 30, 2024, that Tayfun Kahraman, a prisoner in Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) Prison was kept in handcuffs for 6.5 hours at the hospital where he was referred to on August 29, 2024. Tayfun Kahraman was sentenced to 18 years at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 for Gezi Park protests in 2013 and his sentence was approved by Penal Department No 3 of the Court of Cassation.
It is learned from the news coverage of 31 August 2024 that Makbule Özer (82, k) was released from Van T Type Prison and her family was not informed about her release and that Makbule Özer had to wait at the prison gate for her family members to arrive at the prison.
It is learned from the news coverage of 1 September 2024 that, 3 prisoners (Hüseyin Aşkan, Mansur Zan and İsmail Tüzün) in Kırşehir High-Security Prison were subjected to physical violence of the correction officers on duty on 26 August 2024. Özgür Tüzün, brother of İsmail Tüzün, who was subjected to torture, stated the following to the press: “When my brother was deported to Kırşehir Prison in March, he was subjected to torture because he rejected strip search. The torture started then. Then he was put in solitary room for 2-3 months. While he was in that cell, he was subjected to beatings, beatings, harassment, and provocation. During that period, he went on an indefinite hunger strike for about a month. Then he was moved to a normal ward. What I mean by a normal ward is going out for one hour a day for common ventilation (…) My brother met with the first warden in prison. The warden said, ‘I gave the order, we will do what is necessary’. İsmail said, ‘Why are we being attacked where we are sitting when nothing is going on? The warden said, ‘We can do whatever we want, whenever we want’. As far as İsmail tells us, since March there has been an attempt to develop a subjugating approach towards both İsmail and all political prisoners’.
It is learned from the news coverage of 2 September 2024 that relatives of Hüseyin Sürgeç and Ersan Nazlıer, 2 prisoners in Istanbul Maltepe L Type Prison, were prevented by the prison administration from visiting them on the grounds that they were transferred and no information was given about where the 2 prisoners were transferred to.
(09/010) Prevention of Right to Access Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 30, 2024, that İdris Başaran, a prisoner with cancer, who was kept in Antalya Döşemealtı S Type Prison, was taken back to prison without being treated and his family was not informed.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 30, 2024, that Mahmut Kaygun, a prisoner in Antalya Manavgat S Type Prison, was taken back to prison without being treated because he refused to be handcuffed behind his back during a hospital transfer, although he had all his teeth extracted, and that his health problems progressed due to not being treated.
(09/011) Prisoners whose Release was Postponed by the Prison Administration and Observation Board…
It is learned from the news coverage of 30 August 2024 that the release of Bekir Yollu, a prisoner in Kırşehir High Security Prison, who completed his life sentence of 30 years in December 2023, was postponed for the second time and extended for 6 more months on the grounds of ‘not being in good behavior’, by the decision of Prison Administration and Observation Board (İGK).
It is learned from the news coverage of 31 August 2024 that the release of Ali Şen, an ill prisoner in Yozgat T Type Prison No 2, who completed his life sentence of 30 years on 12 July 2023, was postponed for the fifth time and extended for 3 more months on the grounds of ‘not being in good behavior’.
It is learned from the news coverage of 1 September 2024 that the release of prisoners Aydın Kudat and Abdurrahman Güner, who were kept in Karabük T Type Prison and completed the execution of their life sentence of 30 years on 6 September 2022, was postponed for the fourth time and extended for 5 more months on the grounds of ‘not being in good behavior’. It is also reported in the news that Abdurrahman Güner was threatened by a person in charge of the prison administration saying ‘As long as you refuse to say “I am regretful”, you will not be released’.
(09/012) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 2, 2024 that, Naif İşçi, a prisoner in Bitlis Ahlat T Type Prison, whose release was postponed for 3 months on August 1, 2024, although he completed his sentence, started a hunger strike on August 2, 2024.
(09/013) Lawyer’s Shoes Seized in Prison…
İsmail Güler stated the following to the press: ‘The correctional officer wanted to search me when the X-RAY gave another warning. Actually, according to the law on lawyers, they cannot physically search me. But despite this, I consented to him and he searched me with his hands. After the search was over, he searched me again with the detector in his hand. Just as I was about to go to see my client, this time he said, ‘Mr lawyer, there is an object in your trainers that we don’t understand and we can’t send you like this’ (…) He said, ‘You can’t go to the meeting like this, leave the prison and hand over the trainers to us with a report’. I said ‘I will not sign such a report’. At one point he said ‘you can see your client in slippers’. When I said that this was an attack on the profession of lawyers and that I would not accept this situation, they threw me out and confiscated my shoes’.
(09/014) A Student Sent to a Removal Center for Participating in a Protest…
It is learned from the news coverage of 29 August 2024 that a Palestinian student, a member of ‘One Thousand Youth for Palestine’, who protested Turkey’s trade relations with Israel at a panel organised by TRT World, was kept in a removal centre and was demanded to be deported on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’.
One Thousand Youth for Palestine announced on 27 August 2024 that another Palestinian student, a member of the organisation, was being held in Istanbul Arnavutköy Removal Centre (GGM) for participating in the same protest and that there was no news about this student.
(09/015) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Manisa…
On 30 August 2024, 4 people including Independent Mine Workers Union President Gökay Çakır and Organisation Specialist Başaran Aksu were detained in the Soma district of Manisa on the allegations of ‘violating the Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’, ‘resisting to prevent the execution of duty’ and ‘blocking the highways to traffic’ during the gendarmerie intervention against the press statement which was planned to be held in front of Fernas Mining Company in the Soma district of Manisa, demanding union rights against the dismissal of 7 workers on the grounds of being union members. The 4 people were released by the Criminal Peace Judgeship on 1 September 2024 on judicial control conditions of signing in one day a week and ban on leaving the country.
(09/016) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of 1 September 2024 that the police intervened against the press statement held in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul on September 1, World Peace Day, on the grounds of chanting slogans in Kurdish and dancing halay, and detained 12 people.
(09/017) People Detained in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of 29 August 2024 that 2 members of One Thousand Youth for Palestine, who protested a company having commercial relations with Israel in a panel organised by TRT World, were detained. It is also reported in the news that 2 detained people were released after statement procedures. The names of the detained people could not be learnt.
(09/018) Person Arrested for Social Media Posts in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of 31 August 2024 that, 1 person named B. K. was detained in Istanbul on the grounds of insulting Atatürk and voters of opposition parties on social media and was arrested by the criminal peace judgeship on the charges of ‘insulting Atatürk’ and ‘insulting the Turkish nation’.
(09/019) Lawyer Arrested in Istanbul…
It is learned that lawyer Dilek Ekmekçi was detained in Istanbul on September 1, 2024, and was arrested by the criminal peace judgeship on September 2, 2024, on the charges of ‘insulting a public officer’ and ‘slander’. It is also reported that Dilek Ekmekçi’s Twitter account was banned from access after her arrest.
(09/020) People Detained in Urfa…
It is learned that 7 people were detained in house raids in the Suruç district of Urfa on September 2, 2024, on the grounds of ‘a denunciation against them’. Detained 7 people were released after statement procedures at the gendarmerie. Names of detained people are İmam Kip, Sefer Kip, Engin Kip, Nadir Özbek, İsmet Curkan, Halil Curkan and Mahmut Curkan.
(09/021) Organizations and Persons Whose Assets are Frozen…
According to the decision published in the Official Gazette on 31 August 2024, the assets of 19 organizations and 39 individuals were frozen by the decision of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance due to ‘financing an illegal organization’.
(09/022) Special Security Zone in Mardin…
The Governorate of Mardin announced on 31 August 2024 that Dağiçi, Yelekli, Dibek, Üçyol, Güzelsu, Üçköy, Düzce and Eskihisar neighbourhoods of Nusaybin districts were declared as temporary special security zones for 15 days between 31 August 2024 and 14 September 2024.
(09/023) Special Security Zone in Diyarbakır…
The Governorate of Diyarbakır announced on 1 September 2024 that Kurşunludüzü and Görüse Mountain areas in Kayı, Kırkpınar and Kurşunlu neighbourhoods of the Dicle district were declared as temporary special security zones for 15 days between 3 September 2024 and 17 September 2024 and access to these areas was banned.
(09/024) Ban of Access to Web Content…
It is learned from the news coverage of 29 August 2024 that a total of 3 content on https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr, https://artigercek.com and https://www.sozcu.com.tr, about luxury items owned by an advisor of the President, were banned from access by Ankara Criminal Peace Judgeship No 5 on 29 August 2024, on the grounds of violation of personal rights.
It is learned from the news coverage of 30 August 2024 that a total of 3 content on https://halktv.com.tr, https://www.karar.com and https://www.aa.com.tr, about an influencer/social media phenomenon with a finalised prison sentence, was banned from access by Bodrum Muğla Criminal Peace Judgeship No 1 on 29 August 2024, on the grounds of violation of personal rights.
(09/025) Broadcasting Ban on News…
It is learned from the news coverage of 29 August 2024 that news reports on Narin Güran (8, f), a child who has not been heard from since 21 August 2024, were banned from broadcasting by Diyarbakır Criminal Peace Judgeship No 5 on 29 August 2024, on the grounds of ‘protecting the family and conducting investigations effectively’.
It is learned from the news coverage of 31 August 2024 that Istanbul Criminal Peace Judgeship No 4 imposed a broadcast ban on the news reports on the armed assault against people waiting in front of Bahçelievler State Hospital in Istanbul.
(09/026) Person Arrested in Ankara…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 30, 2024, that 1 person (H. B.) with a finalised prison sentence on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ was arrested in a house raid in Ankara.
(09/027) Detained People…
The Ministry of National Defence (MSB) announced on 31 August 2024 that 2 people who were allegedly trying to cross from Turkey to Greece illegally were detained due to ‘being a member of an illegal organization’.
[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.