Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
31 March 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/148) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from news coverage of March 31, 2026 that 2 prisoners, Mahsun Aslan and Kerem Karagöz, were subjected to physical violence of wardens in Samsun Çarşamba S Type Prison. It is also stated in the news reports that Baran Eman and 2 other prisoners were forcibly taken from their wards to another ward and their sportive and cultural rights were restricted.
(03/149) Gendarmerie Intervention to Commemoration in Tokat…
On March 30, 2026, gendarmerie intervened the members of Revolutionary Youth Associations (DGD) who wanted to attend the commemoration in Kızıldere village of Niksar district of Tokat for the death anniversary of Mahir Cayan and his friends, by using physical violence and tear gas chemical agent at the entrance of Ataköy village of Almus district of Tokat and detained 78 people by using physical violence.
(03/150) Detained People for Newroz Celebrations…
12 of 26 people who were detained on March 27, 2026 through the investigation initiated after Newroz celebration in Istanbul, are arrested by the criminal court of peace on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ on March 31, 2026. 14 people were released.
20 people who were detained in house raids in İdil and Cizre districts of Şırnak on March 27, 2026 through the investigation initiated after Newroz celebration in Şırnak, are arrested by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions on March 30, 2026.
(03/151) Detained Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and Other People…
Through an investigation against Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, 55 people including Mayor Mustafa Bozbey are detained on March 31, 2026.
(03/152) Detained Mayor and Other People…
4 of 13 people, including Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, who were detained through an Istanbul based investigation against Uşak Municipality, were arrested by the criminal court of peace on March 30, 2026. 9 people were released on judicial control conditions. It is learned that 4 people are still under custody through the same investigation.
(03/153) Detained Municipality Executive and Other People in Muğla…
4 of 13 people including deputy mayor Ö.H., who were detained on March 27, 2026 within the scope of an investigation launched against the municipality of Muğla’s Marmaris district, were arrested by the criminal court of peace on March 31, 2026 due to ‘bribery’ and ‘irregularities’. 9 people were released, 6 of them on judicial control conditions.
(03/154) Arrested Life Defender…
Life defender Esra Işık was detained by gendarmerie from her house in İkizköy, Muğla on March 30, 2026, for protests against expropriation of agricultural lands around Akbelen forest. She was arrested by the criminal court of peace on March 31, 2026.
(03/155) Özgür Gündem Trial…
The retrial of the case against Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, writer Ahmet Nesin, former President of Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) board member Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, for participating in the “Editor-in-Chief on Watch” campaign to support Özgür Gündem newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13. The acquittal verdict of the case at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 is reversed by Criminal Chamber No 3 of Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals on November 1, 2020 and the retrial of the case is held on March 31, 2026. The indictment demands sentence for 3 people on the charges of ‘inciting to commit crime’, ‘praising crime and criminal’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court adjourned the trial to September 15, 2026.
(03/156) Indictment Against Journalist…
On March 30, 2026, it is learned from news coverage of March 30, 2026 that Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment against journalist Alican Uludağ, on the grounds of his news reports and social media posts. The indictment demands sentence for journalist on the charges of ‘insulting the President’, ‘publicly spreading misleading information’, ‘publicly humiliating the government of the Republic of Turkey and judicial organs of the state’.
Alican Uludağ was detained on February 19, 2026 and arrested on February 20, 2026.
(03/157) Blocked Social Media Accounts and Internet Content…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 30, 2026 that Instagram and X social media accounts of business person Öncü Sönmez are banned to access on the grounds of national security and protection of public order.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 31, 2026 that Mezopotamya Agency’s Instagram social media account is banned to access on the grounds of protection of national security and public order, within the scope of Article 8/A of Law No 5651.
[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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[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari
[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.