Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
31 December 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/363) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 30, 2020 that, 1 HPG militant died in an air operation of Turkish Armed Forces to Haftanin area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional government on June 14, 2020; and 2 HPG militants died in an air operation on September 25, 2020.
(12/364) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 30, 2020 that several prisoners joined the indefinite hunger strike in turns which started in prisons on November 26, 2020, demanding an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and to right violations in prisons.
The prisoners joining the strike are:
- Erzurum H Type Closed Prison: 10 prisoners (Davut Kamış, Adem Çallar, Kahraman Varol, Abdülcelil Taşçı, Fahrettin Taş, Melik Polat and 4 more prisoners).
(12/365) Attack to Future Party Executive in Izmir…
On December 30, 2020, Cüneyt İşçiler, provincial chair of the Future Party, is attacked in his car by unknown person or persons in Izmir. It is learned that Cüneyt İşçiler was uninjured.
(12/366) Police Interventions to Women’s Protests in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration for women who had been killed by men, which was organized by Women’s Assemblies in front of Çankaya Municipality building in Ankara on December 30, 2020; and detained 7 people by using physical violence. It is reported that journalists following the press declaration was prevented by the police on the grounds that “security forces could be captured in photographs. Detained 7 people were released on the same day, their names are unknown.
The police intervened the press declaration for the same cause, organized by University Student Women’s Collective in front of Justice and Development Party (AKP) Ankara office on December 5, 2020; and detained 5 people by using physical violence. Detained 5 people were released on the same day, their names are unknown.
(12/367) Arrested Poet in Istanbul…
On December 30, 2020, poet Yılmaz Odabaşı is detained in a notary office in Istanbul and is arrested by the court on the same day. The reason of arrest is unknown.
(12/368) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Buse Söğütlü, a reporter of Gazete Yolculuk; on the charge of ‘targeting a public officer assigned for anti-terror’, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 on December 30, 2020. The court decided to send a writ to security directorate and to National Intelligence Organisation to ask “whether she has any organisational relation”, and adjourned the trial to March 24, 2021.
(12/369) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against journalist Mehmet Çakmakçı is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 10 on December 30, 2020. The court acquitted Mehmet Çakmakçı.
(12/370) The Case Against Former HDP Co-Chairs, Co-Mayors and HDP Executives…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 30, 2020 that, Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared and sent the indictment against 108 people through “Kobanê investigations”, to Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 22. 27 of 108 people, including Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) former co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, Kars city co-mayors Şevin Alaca and Ayhan Bilgen and several executives of HDP, are arrested. The indictment demands jail sentences for 108 people on the charges of ‘disrupting the unity and integrity of the state’ and 37 times of ‘killing’. It is reported that the confidentiality order will be lifted after the court’s decision.
(12/371) Police Officer on Trial in Ankara…
The final trial of the case against police officer E. T., for committing violence against Zeynal Danacı and causing bone fracture in his arm, is held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 18 on December 30, 2020. Zeynal Danacı was subjected to physical violence of police officer E. T., during the police intervention to a press declaration in Ankara on July 23, 2018. The court sentenced police officer E. T. to 1 year and 8 months for “injuring Zeynal Danacı in a way which could affect vital functions for squeezing his arm to break as it could be seen from the video footage of the moments”. The court then deferred the announcement of the verdict on the grounds of “no criminal record of the defendant who gave the impression that he would not commit a crime again”.
(12/372) Constitutional Court Decision on House Confinement…
On December 30, 2020, the Constitutional Court concluded on individual appeal of Esra Özkan Özakça, who was detained and was released by the court on house confinement. The court decided that right to personal freedom and security of Esra Özkan Özakça was violated and ruled that she should be paid a compensation of 20,000 Turkish Liras for immaterial damages. Esra Özkan Özakça was detained with 4 other people on July 9, 2017, for they participated in “I Want My Job Back” protest in Yüksel Street, Ankara; and they were then released by the court on house confinement.
(12/373) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against 132 people, for the incidents at Land Forces Command during July 15 coup attempt, is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19 on December 19, 2020. The court sentenced 12 people including Brigadier General Adem Boduroğlu, Colonel Mutlu Serkan Vurdem, Colonel Hasan Yılmaz to heavy life imprisonment on the charge of ‘attempt to violate the constitutional order’; 80 people to life imprisonment on the same charge; 22 people to jail penalties from 12 years and 6 months to 19 years on the charge of ‘aiding the attempt to violate the constitutional order’. The court sentenced Brigadier General Erhan Caha to 103 years on the charges of ‘attempt to killing’ and ‘deprivation of liberty’; 2 people to jail penalties from 5 years to 22 years and 6 months; and 3 people to 7 years and 6 months each for ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court separated the case against 3 people and acquitted 9 people.
(12/374) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that 125 social media posts and 119 news reports about counsel’s fee of the President’s lawyer are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights, by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No 5 on December 30, 2020.
(12/375) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 254 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,612 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on December 30, 2020. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 15,805.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 20,642 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,194,272 as of December 30, 2020.
It is learned that 2 health workers (doctor Adnan Ezelsoy in Hatay and doctor Emin Akyıldız in Iğdır) lost their lives from Covid-19 in December 30, 2020.
[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.