Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
4 – 6 February 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/039) Earthquakes in Antep and Maraş…
According to the information recorded by Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, on February 6, 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 in Şehitkamil district of Antep which struck at 04:17 local time and an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 in Ekinözü district of Maraş which struck at 13:24 local time killed at least 1498 people and injured 7634 people in Adana, Adıyaman, Antep, Diyarbakır, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Maraş, Osmaniye, Urfa provinces. It is reported that at least 2818 buildings had collapsed.
(02/040) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 5, 2023, 7 militants died in a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in Metina area of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on February 2, 2023.
(02/041) Person Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment of Police in Mardin…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 3, 2023 that, 1 person whose named could not be learned, was subjected to physical violence of the police in street in Artuklu district of Mardin on January 25, 2023. Mardin Governorate’s Office made the following statement: “Judicial and administrative investigation has been initiated regarding the video footage of the incident involving some police officers on Vali Ozan Street in Artuklu district”.
(02/042) Person Forced to be Police Informant…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 4, 2023 that, a person named Eda Kaya who was detained on July 13, 2022 and then was arrested by the court, was forced to be police informant under custody and in Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) Prison.
(02/043) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 3, 2023 that, a prisoner named Deniz Şah in Elazığ High Security Prison was subjected to torture and ill-treatment of the correction officers and was injured at several body parts.
(02/044) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on February 3, 2023 to the chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by families and tutelary of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, and Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in Imralı Prison, in order to visit them was not responded.
(02/045) Arrested Mayor…
Ünal Çetin, the Iyi Party’s Gökçeada district mayor in Çanakkale who was detained on January 31, 2023 on the charges of “corruption and bribery”, was arrested by the court on February 4, 2023. It is learned that 2 people who were detained through the same investigation were also arrested while 3 of them were released on judicial control conditions.
(02/046) Detained Journalist and HDP Executive and Other People in Izmir…
It is learned that 6 people (Jinnews reporter Nazlıcan Yıldız, the Peoples’ Democratic Party [HDP] Izmir provincial executive Murat Tufan, F. D., M. B., A. B. and B. T.) were detained in house raids in Izmir on February 6, 2023. The reason for detention is unknown.
(02/047) Detained People in Van…
It is learned that 7 people including the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) central executive board member Ökkeş Kaya were detained in house raids in Van on February 3 and 4, 2023. The number of detainees through this investigation raised to 10. The names of detained people learned so far are: Ökkeş Kaya, Adil Aslan, Ersin Turgut, Nevzat Kutas.
(02/048) Former Mayors on Trial in Mardin…
The final trial of the case against former Mazıdağı district mayor Hasip Aktaş, former Akarsu town mayor Lokman Fındık, former Kılavuz town mayor Ahmet İnci and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) former district chair Mehmet Kılıç, on the grounds of participating in a meeting organized by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) is held at Mardin Heavy Penal Court No. 2 on February 3, 2023. The court sentenced 4 people to 6 years and 3 months each on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(02/049) Boğaziçi University Students on Trial…
The final trial of the case against 14 people for participating in the protests against the rector appointed to Boğaziçi University by the President, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 22 on February 3, 2023. The court sentenced 14 people to 6 months each on the charge of ‘participating in unlawful meetings unarmed and not dispersing despite of warning’. The court also sentenced 1 person to 1 year and 6 months on the charge of ‘damage to public property’ and 1 person to 1 year and 2 months on the charge of ‘insulting public official’. The court acquitted 14 people on the charge of ‘deprivation of liberty’.
(02/050) Rights Defenders on Trial in Muğla…
The trial of the case on the charge of ‘resisting to prevent public duty’ and ‘insulting a public official’ against Füsun Ergün and Gülören Demir, who were forcibly moved away by the gendarmerie on 11 August 2021 from the protest against the lignite mine intended to be established in the Akbelen Forest in the Milas district of Muğla, is held at Milas Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 on February 2, 2023. The court adjourned the trial to March 27, 2023.
(02/051) Onur Yaser Can Case…
The trial of the case against 4 police officers on the charge of ‘counterfeiting official documents’ and ‘damage of an official document’ and against 1 expert on the charge of ‘false statement’, regarding the death of Onur Yaser Can, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 41 on February 3, 2023. Onur Yaser Can was detained in Istanbul in 2010, and killed himself after he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment under custody. After witness hearings the court rejected to make a criminal complaint against the defendant police officers on the charge of “torture”, and to arrest defendant police officers and adjourned the trial to April 7, 2023.
(02/052) Non-Prosecution on Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 4, 2023 that, Bingöl Public Prosecutor’s Office decided non-prosecution on the criminal complaint about torture and ill-treatment of Sonuç Gürdeğer who was detained and taken to Bingöl Provincial Security Directorate on August 24, 2021.
(02/053) Suspended Mayor…
Ünal Çetin, the Iyi Party’s Gökçeada district mayor in Çanakkale who was detained on the charges of “corruption and bribery” and was arrested on February 4, 2023, was suspended by the Interior Ministry on the same day.
(02/054) Ban of Events in Van and Şırnak…
Van Governorate’s Office made a declaration on February 4, 2023 and announced that press declarations, sit-in protests, conducting surveys, opening stands and tents, collecting petitions, distributing leaflets and so on are banned for 4 days as of February 5, 2023.
Şırnak Governorate’s Office made a declaration on February 4, 2023 and announced that press declarations, sit-in protests, opening tents, collecting petitions, crowded funerals, commemorations, festivals, concerts, theatre plays, any kind of audio-visual activities, flying lanterns and balloons, any kind of aerial activities using drones and paragliding and etc., distributing leaflets and so on are banned for 10 days as of February 6, 2023.
(02/055) Cancelled Event in Osmaniye…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 3, 2023 that, the show of television presenter Metin Uca which was to be held in Osmaniye on February 12, 2023 is cancelled by the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. Metin Uca was detained at Istanbul Airport on February 2, 2023 and was released afterwards.
(02/056) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
It is learned that 3 people were detained in Edirne in an alleged attempt to illegally flee abroad on February 6, 2023.
(02/057) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against Uğur Demirok, who was detained abroad and was brought to Turkey, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 28 on February 3, 2023. The court sentenced the defendant to 2 years and 2 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
[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.