Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
4 – 5 July 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(07/029) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
According to news reports published on July 4, 2025, it was learned that Çağlar Türkmen, the bodyguard of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), who was arrested as part of an investigation into the İBB, was being held in a cell at Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) Prison with a capacity of 35 but housing 50 inmates.
According to news reports on July 5, 2025, Doğan Hamit Doğruer, Deputy General Manager of Kültür A.Ş., who was arrested as part of an investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and is being held at Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) Prison, was kept handcuffed in a prison van for a long time during his transfer to the hospital, causing him to refuse to go to the hospital.
(07/030) People Detained During Police Intervention to CHP Demonstration in Istanbul…
On July 1, 2025, police intervened the demonstration held by Republican People’s Party (CHP)in Istanbul’s Fatih district in Saraçhane Square to mark the 100th day since the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and detained 34 people. 13 of the 34 individuals detained during the police intervention were arrested on July 3, 2025, by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred, on charges of “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911” and “insulting the President.” Twenty-one people were released on condition of not leaving the country and being subject to judicial control.
(07/031) People Detained as Part of the Investigation into the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality…
Of the 139 people detained on July 1, 2025, as part of an investigation into the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, including former Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer, CHP Izmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, and former municipal executives, 60, including Tunç Soyer, were arrested on July 4, 2025, by the criminal court of peace to which they were referred. 59 people were released, 58 of them under judicial supervision. 20 people had already been released after giving statements to the police.
(07/032) Mayor and Municipal Executives Detained in Antalya…
Thirty-four people, including the mayor of Manavgat district in Antalya, Niyazi Nefi Kara, and municipal executives, were detained on allegations of “bribery, embezzlement, and misappropriation.”
(07/033) Mayors Detained as Part of an Investigation Based in Istanbul…
Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere were detained on July 5, 2025, as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. It was reported that a total of 10 people were arrested in connection with the investigation.
(07/034) Mayor Detained in Antalya…
Three people, including Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek, were detained on July 5, 2025, on allegations of bribery.
(07/035) Person Arrested in Istanbul…
Academic Aslı Aydemir was arrested on July 4, 2025, during a raid on her home on the grounds that she had argued with a member of a group gathered in front of the offices of Leman magazine in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district to protest a cartoon published in the magazine. Aslı Aydemir was arrested on the same day by a magistrate’s court on charges of “intentional assault with a weapon.”
(07/036) Person Detained in Istanbul…
Doruk Dörücü, a graduate of Istanbul Boğaziçi University, said in his speech at the graduation ceremony, “I reject the diploma of this despotic regime that revoked the diploma of the future president and opens and closes faculties as it pleases. This regime will revoke my diploma, it will revoke your diplomas, it will close this department, it will close this school. I will not receive my diploma from the appointed trustee of this despotic regime, but from the elected rector of Boğaziçi University.” He was detained during a police raid on his home in Istanbul on July 4, 2025, on the grounds that he tore up his diploma. Doruk Dörücü was released on the same day by the magistrate’s court to which he was referred, subject to judicial control.
(07/037) Trial of Journalist in Istanbul…
The trial of journalist Hamza Kaan (Bilge Aksu) at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 14t began on July 3, 2025. The indictment seeks the journalist’s conviction on charges of “membership in an organization.” The court ordered Bilge Aksu’s release under judicial supervision and a travel ban abroad, and postponed the hearing to October 7, 2025.
Hamza Kaan (Bilge Aksu) was arrested on November 29, 2024.
(07/038) Trade Unionist on Trial in Antep…
The trial of the case against BİRTEK-SEN chair Mehmet Türkmen on the allegation of ‘insulting the institutions and organs of the state’ started on July 4, 2025 at Antep Criminal Court of First Instance No. 55. The indictment demands sentence for Mehmet Türkmen on the charges of ‘incitement to commit crime’ and ‘insulting the institutions and organs of the state’. Following the defenses, the prosecutor gave his final opinion and demanded sentence for Mehmet Türkmen. The court lifted the judicial control measure of house arrest against Türkmen and adjourned the trial to July 18, 2025.
Mehmet Türkmen was detained on February 14, 2025 before a press statement and released on the same day. On February 17, 2025 he was arrested after being detained once again on February 16, 2025. On March 24, 2025, Mehmet Türkmen was released and upon the objection of the prosecutor’s office, house arrest was imposed as a judicial control measure. On April 17, 2024, the court ruled to lift the house confinement measure but upon the objection of the prosecutor’s office, the house confinement measure was re-imposed on Türkmen.
(07/039) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Ahmet Saymadi, through the investigation against Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 on July 4, 2025. The court sentenced Ahmet Saymadi to 6 years and 3 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and ruled for his release with a ban on leaving the country.
Ahmet Saymadi was arrested on February 21, 2025.
(07/040) Members of Parliament Against Whom Proceedings are Prepared…
On July 5, 2025, it is learned from the news coverage of July 5, 2025 that, proceedings on 6 parliamentary members demanding lifting of their parliamentary immunity are sent to Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
Members of parliament against whom proceedings have been prepared:
- CHP Istanbul MP Suat Özçağdaş
- CHP Istanbul MP Ali Gökçek
- CHP Istanbul MP Nimet Özdemir
- CHP Urfa MP Mahmut Tanal
- CHP Edirne Deputy Ahmet Baran Yazgan
- CHP Tekirdağ MP İlhami Özcan Aygun.
(07/041) Television Channels Penalized by RTÜK…
On July 3, 2025, it is learned from news coverage of July 3, 2025 that Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) issued Sözcü TV with an administrative fine and 5 program suspensions for the comment on the cartoon in Leman magazine in the program “Para Politika”; and Tele 1 channel was fined for some subtitles on the screen during the live broadcast of CHP’s rally at Saraçhane Square in Fatih district of Istanbul.
(07/042) Blocked Internet Content…
It is learned that the website http://archive.ph/ of the internet archiving tool Archive.today was banned from access by the decision of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority dated July 2, 2025.
[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.