Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
31 July – 2 August 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(08/001) Racist Attack in Konya…
On July 30, 2021, 7 members of Dedeoğulları family died in the racist attack to their home in Hasanköy neighbourhood of Meram district of Konya. It is learned that their house was burned down after the attack too.
The names of 7 members of the family are: Yaşar Dedeoğulları, Barış Dedeoğulları, Serpil Dedeoğulları, Serap Dedeoğulları, İpek Dedeoğulları, Metin Dedeoğulları and Sibel Dedeoğulları.
Dedeoğulları family had been attacked by a racist group saying “We are the greywolves, we will not let you live here” on May 12, 2021. 6 of 10 people who have been detained in relation to this first attack were arrested but 4 of them were released by the court upon objections.
A relative of Yaşar Dedeoğulları states the following: “It happened at around 6 of 7 p.m. yesterday. The police took the video records so we do not know how many people have attacked. We know that the attackers used fired 19 bullets on their heads. (…) It was detected in the video footage that the attacker comes inside, shakes hands with Yaşar. Then this person goes out and takes a jerry can of gasoline from to a car, he carries it by left hand. And he puts the gun under his shirt, then fires at Yaşar five times. Then he has fired to the others. He shot all of them at the head.”
It is learned that 14 people were detained in the attack as of August 1, 2021. It is stated that the alleged attacker was not one of these detainees.
It is learned that, some relatives of those who lost their lives in the racist attack, were subjected to physical violence of the police and were handcuffed. Harun Rıfatoğlu states the following on the torture and ill-treatment he was subjected to: “My uncle and my aunt were killed there. One of our neighbours told us that someone has raided the house. The house was surrounded by the police. I wanted to see my aunt and my uncle. The police hit me twice with clubs, I fell down. I stood up and asked ‘Who hit me’, 10 or 15 officers swooped in on me. (…) The police said ‘Prevent the cameras so that we can beat those properly’.”
The Interior Minister said “This is not about Kurdish-Turkish tension. This is a hostility of 11 years. I believe our friends will catch them soon.”
It is learned that the declared visit of the Human Rights Committee of the Grand National Assembly to Konya was cancelled on August 2, 2021.
(08/002) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 29, 2021 that, 1 militant died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in Hakurke area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government.
(08/003) Wildfires in Turkey…
As August 2, 2021, 8 people (7 in Manavgat and 1 in Marmaris district of Muğla) have been killed in wildfires that started in Manavgat district of Antalya on July 28, 2021, and followed by many others in 30 cities. The Ministry of Health declared that at least 864 people have been admitted to hospitals for injury, while 27 of them are still receiving treatment. The Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture stated that 125 of 132 wildfires have been contained as of August 2, 2021.
(08/004) Police Interventions to Protests in Istanbul, Ankara, Van, and Mardin…
The police intervened the demonstration in Van on July 30, 2021, which was held to protest the racist attack killing 7 people in Meram district of Konya on the same day. 3 people are detained by the police. It is learned that 1 person (Mesut Bor) got his shoulder dislocated. 6 other people are detained in house raids in Van on July 31, 2021. Detained people are: Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Party Assembly member Hazal Karabey, Mesut Bor, Ferat Azan, Arjin Tuncer, Çetin Temel, Rojhat Duman, Rojin Varhan, Nurullah Pekbay and Dilovan Duru.
The police intervened the protest held for the same cause, in Van on July 31, 2021 and detained 5 people.
The police intervened the protest held for the same cause, in Mardin on July 31, 2021 and detained 3 people.
A press declaration was held by HDP in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on July 31, 2021. It is learned that a racist group has attacked the participators after the protest. It is learned that several people including journalists Mehmet Enes Sezgin, Rojin Altay, Derya Saadet, Ceylan Bulut, Taylan Öztaş, Hayri Tunç got injured in the attack. The police detained Mehmet Enes Sezgin following the attack, it is learned that he was subjected to physical violence in the police car. It is reported that journalist Taylan Öztaş was detained by the police handcuffing him behind his back at Taksim Hospital where he has gone to get a medical report. 6 detainees including 2 journalists are released by the court on August 1, 2021 provided that 2 journalists (Taylan Öztaş and Mehmet Enes Sezgin) will be on juridical control conditions.
The police used pepper spray to intervene the press declaration in front of Çankaya municipality building in Ankara on July 31, 2021. It is learned that the police intervened the groups gathering in front ok KESK headquarters and HDP Ankara office, on the grounds of slogans chanted by the groups. It is learned that Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Delal Akyüz was subjected to physical violence of the police and video recordings on his camera were deleted by the police. It is reported that nobody was detained.
(08/005) Police Intervention to Protests in Istanbul…
The police intervened the march of Dilbent Türker who had been dismissed from their jobs because of union membership, starting from Avcılar district of Istanbul towards Ankara, on July 31, 2021. Dilbent Türker and All Automotive and Metal Workers’ Union (TOMİS) representative Onur Eyidoğan, are detained by the police. The police intervened the sit-in protest demanding release of these 2 detainees and detained 6 more people. Detained people are released on the same day.
The police intervened the Ankara march at Küçükçekmece district of Istanbul on August 1, 2021 and detained Dilbent Türker and Onur Eyidoğan. 2 people are released on the same day.
The police intervened the Ankara march at Kadıköy district of Istanbul on August 2, 2021 and detained Dilbent Türker, Onur Eyidoğan and 3 members of Young Workers’ Association.
(08/006) Prevention of a Delegation in Tunceli…
The gendarmerie prevented the delegation including Tunceli mayor Fatih Maçoğlu, Pertek district mayor Ruhan Alan, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Tunceli MP Polat Şaroğlu and several representatives from political parties, from entering the woods in rural areas of Hozat district of Tunceli, where a wildfire has started on August 1, 2021. The delegation wanted to visit the area on the allegations of the fire not being intervened; and the gendarmerie prevented the group on the grounds that it was a special security area.
(08/007) Detained Members and Executives of HDP on Their Way to a Protest…
The police stopped the cars of members and executives of HDP, who were on their way to Esenyurt district of Istanbul to participate in the demonstration to be held as a part of “We are HDP members, we are everywhere” on August 1, 2021. The police detained 15 people and some of them are: Zübeyde İnce, Ali Durgun, Kiyasettin Durmuş, Ahmet İlde, Süleyman Taşçı, İnan Yıldırım, Nurettin Abukan, Muhammet Serhat Kutluay, Müslüm Kılıç.
(08/008) Detained SGDF Members in Istanbul…
It is learned that Muhammed Aydın and Resul Avcı, members of the Socialist Federation of Youth Association (SGDF) were stopped by the police for a general information check, and that they were forcibly put into a car in front of HDP office in Esenyurt district of Istanbul on July 31, 2021. After a period of time with no news from them, it was found out that 2 people were taken to Kıraç police station.
(08/009) Arrested Person in Kayseri…
On August 1, 2021, 1 person (Mahmut Güneş) is detained at Kayseri Airport to where he has come from Germany, on the grounds of a notice on him. Mahmut Güneş is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ on the same day.
(08/010) Investigation Against Journalist for Social Media Posts…
It is learned that Gerger District Prosecutor’s Office has initiated an investigation against journalist Özgür Boğatekin in Adıyaman, on the grounds of ‘provoking hatred and hostility among public’ by his social media posts about the racist attack killing 7 people in Konya. Özgür Boğatekin made his official statement through the investigation on August 2, 2021.
(08/011) Attack on HDP Office in Muğla…
On July 30, 2021, an attack was organized on district office of HDP in Marmaris district of Muğla. It is learned that there were no casualties and 1 person is detained in relation to the attack. On July 14, 2021, an armed attack was organized on HDP office there, and 1 person was arrested.
(08/012) Ban of Events in Hakkari and Van…
Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on July 30, 2021 and announced that all meetings, open-door assemblies, demonstrations, marches, sit-in protests, human chains, op-ed stands, public sessions, any kind of audio-visual activities with mobile audio-visual vehicles, hunger strikes, opening stands, collecting petitions, flying sky lanterns or balloons, commemorations, concerts, festivals, theatre plays, screening shows, firing torches, distributing leaflets, hanging banners and so on are banned for 15 days as of July 31, 2021. All events are banned in Hakkari for 435 days since June 5, 2020.
Van Governorate made a declaration on July 30, 2021 and announced that, all open-door meetings and demonstrations are banned for 15 days as of August 2, 2021. All events are banned in Van for 1729 days since November 21, 2016.
(08/013) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 69 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 22,083 as of July 30, 2021.
The Ministry of Health declared that 79 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 20,332 as of July 31, 2021.
The Ministry of Health declared that 96 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 22,890 as of August 1, 2021.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 51,426 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 5,747,935 as of August 1, 2021.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 1, 2021 that 18 prisoners in Şırnak T Type Prison have tested positive for 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.