Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
31 March 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/287) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 1238 days to regain their jobs, in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on March 30, 2020 at 13.30, and forced people away from the monument by using physical violence.
(03/288) Prevention of Humanitarian Relief Attempt in Diyarbakır…
It is learned that humanitarian relief attempt of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) organizations in Diyarbakır province and districts, for elder people and people in need who cannot leave their homes due to precautions for Covid-19, is banned by Diyarbakır Governorate.
(03/289) Investigation Against Parliamentary Member…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 30, 2020 that, Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation against HDP Diyarbakır MP Remziye Tosun for her speech on Covid-19 pandemic.
(03/290) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Istanbul Chamber of Medicine declared a report on March 30, 2020 and announced that confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Istanbul is above 2,000; and number of patients in intensive care units is above 200. It is also stated in the report that above 100 physicians and health workers got infected in public hospitals of Istanbul.
Izmir Chamber of Medicine declared a report on March 30, 2020 that number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Izmir is 700, and 75 health workers are affected by pandemic.
Ministry of Health declared that 37 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1610 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on March 30, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 168 and total number of confirmed cases is 10,827 as of March 29, 2020.
(03/291) Declarations of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for Prevention of Covid-19 Pandemic…
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet made a declaration on March 25, 2020 and has called on governments to take urgent action to protect the health and safety of people in detention and other closed facilities, as part of overall efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Michele Bachelet stated that, “governments should release every person detained without sufficient legal basis including political prisoners and others detained simply for expressing critical or dissenting views” along with older detainees and those who are sick. Michele Bachelet also expressed that, measures taken amid a health crisis should not undermine the fundamental rights of detained people, including their rights to adequate food and water; safeguards against ill-treatment of people in custody, including access to a lawyer and doctor, should also be fully respected.
The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) declared recommendations for measures that should be taken by governments and independent monitoring bodies to protect people deprived of their liberty during the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 30, 2020. SPT recommended that precautionary measures necessary to prevent the spread of infection, and to implement emergency measures to ensure detainees have access to appropriate levels of health care and to maintain contact with families and the outside world should be taken. SPT also stated that national preventive mechanisms should continue exercising their preventive mandate during the pandemic.
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for Prevention (CPT) issued their statement of 10 principles relating to the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the context of Covid-19 pandemic, on March 20, 2020. CPT stated that protective measures must never result in inhuman or degrading treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. Principle No 4 is as follows: “Any restrictive measure taken vis-à-vis persons deprived of their liberty to prevent the spread of Covid-19 should have a legal basis and be necessary, proportionate, respectful of human dignity and restricted in time. Persons deprived of their liberty should receive comprehensive information, in a language they understand, about any such measures”. And Principle No 7 states the following: “While it is legitimate and reasonable to suspend nonessential activities, the fundamental rights of detained persons during the pandemic must be fully respected. This includes in particular the right to maintain adequate personal hygiene (including access to hot water and soap) and the right of daily access to the open air (of at least one hour). Further, any restrictions on contact with the outside world, including visits, should be compensated for by increased access to alternative means of communication (such as telephone or Voice-over Internet-Protocol communication”.
[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.