Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
31 January 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/245) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 30, 2024, that the beds given to women prisoners in Çorum L Type Prison were damp and moldy, prisoners had to wear damp clothes because of not being given extra rope for drying clothes, water supply was cut off without notice, some prisoners had to sleep on the floor because of lack of bunk beds and prisoners were not given enough food.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 30, 2024, that prisoners in Kütahya Prison are not provided regular water, beds of prisoners are wet due to humidity problems and wards are not warm enough.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 30, 2024, that prisoners in Van High Security Prison cannot see their lawyers face to face due to the curtains from the pandemic period.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 31, 2024, that Vefa Yılmaz, a prisoner in Rize L Type Prison was transferred to Samsun Kavak S Type Prison against his will on January 29, 2024; and that he was subjected to physical violence and was kept in a solitary cell during the transfer and in the prison where he was taken, for objecting to strip search.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 31, 2024, that 19 prisoners who were kept in Balıkesir, Manisa and Izmir prisons since January 19, 2024, were transferred to prisons in different cities against their will.
(01/246) Journalist Targeted Through Social Media…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 31, 2024, that Birgün Newspaper writer Ozan Gündoğdu was targeted on social media by Deputy Chair of Ülkü Ocakları and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Central Executive Board (MYK) member and Malatya MP, after he criticized Ülkü Ocakları’ activities in some schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education (MEB) in a TV program.
(01/247) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Ankara…
On January 30, 2024, the police intervened against the members of Private Sector Teachers’ Union who wanted to hold a press statement in Ankara to protest the physical violence against Melih Can Kurt, a teacher, by the director of the institution he works for demanding his salary, and detained 1 person. The name of the detained person could not be learned.
(01/248) The KCK Press Case…
The trial of the case against 46 journalists, known as “KCK Press Case”, continued on January 30, 2024, at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 3. The court adjourned the hearing to April 25, 2024.
(01/249) Foundation Members on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 8 members of Science, Aesthetics, Culture and Art Research Foundation (BEKSAV) Cinema Collective on the charge of ‘Violating Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’ continued on January 30, 2024, at Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of First Instance No 45. The court adjourned the hearing to April 18, 2024.
When BEKSAV Cinema Collective announced that it would screen a film about the solidarity between mine workers and LGBTI+ people as part of Pride Month on June 7, 2023, Kadıköy District Governorate announced that the event was banned. On the day of the screening, the foundation building was blockaded by the police and 8 people were detained under torture and ill-treatment.
(01/250) The Trial against People who Joined May 1st Demonstrations in Istanbul…
On January 30, 2024, the trial of the case against 15 people who were detained in Istanbul in 2022, on the charge of ‘participating in unlawful meetings and demonstrations without weapons and not dispersing despite the warning’ continued at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 29. The court issued an arrest warrant for the police witnesses and a detention warrant for the defendant Mehmet Erelli and adjourned the trial to May 9, 2024.
(01/251) The Case of Can Atalay…
On January 30, 2024, Can Atalay, Hatay MP of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), was stripped of his parliamentary seat by the decision of the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, read at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
Following the violation decision of the Constitutional Court on the application of TİP Hatay MP Can Atalay, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for ‘aiding the overthrow of the government’ at the Gezi Trial’s final hearing on April 25, 2022 and whose sentence was upheld by the Court of Cassation’s Penal Department No. 2, the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13 sent the file to the Court of Cassation’s Penal Department No. 3 on the grounds that the Court of Cassation has the authority to decide. The Penal Chamber 3 decided on the case on November 8, 2023, and refused to comply with the Constitutional Court’s violation decision on the grounds that it violated the constitution and exceeded its authority, and ruled to file a criminal complaint against the members of the Constitutional Court who issued the violation decision. The second individual application made to the Constitutional Court by the lawyers of Can Atalay was discussed by the General Assembly of the Constitutional Court on December 21, 2023, and it was decided by a majority of votes that the right to be elected and to engage in political activity and the right to personal liberty and security were violated. Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13 decided to send the file back to the Court of Cassation for a decision on Can Atalay. On January 3, 2024, the Court of Cassation’s Penal Chamber No. 3 rejected the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision, stating that it had “no legal value” and decided to write to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to revoke Can Atalay’s parliamentary deputy status.
(01/252) Police Officers on Trial in Adana…
On January 30, 2024, Adana Penal Court of First Instance No 14 accepted the indictment against police officers A.Ö., A.T., H.U. and G.G. on the charge of ‘intentional injury with a weapon’ for using physical violence against E.E. for disobeying the police’s ‘stop’ warning on March 5, 2022.
E.E. was subjected to physical violence of the police officers at the scene of the incident and at Denizli Police Station where he was taken for disobeying the ‘stop’ warning and filed a criminal complaint against the police officers on March 6, 2022 on the charge of ‘torture’.
(01/253) Banned Events and Demonstrations…
Governorate of Van announced on January 30, 2024, that demonstrations, open-air meetings, indoor meetings, press statements, sit-ins and surveys, setting up/opening tents and stands, organizing petitions, distributing leaflets, brochures and flyers and all kinds of protest actions to be held on February 1 and 2, 2024 are banned for 2 days.
[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.