Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
5 May 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/036) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Istanbul…
It is learned that 2 people (Aydın Koçuk and Mehmet İkto) who were detained by the police intervening in the press declaration of the Greens and Left Future Party (YSP) held in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on May 4, 2023 to protest the racist attack against street musician Cihan Aymaz; were subjected to torture and ill-treatment at Rıhtım Police Station and were injured as a result of torture. Musician Cihan Aymaz was stabbed to death by a person named Mehmet Caymaz, with whom he had a quarrel for not singing the song “I will die for you Turkey”, in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on May 3, 2023.
(05/037) May 14, 2023 General Elections…
It is learned that 1 person was injured in the attack of 2 people on the Justice and Development Party (AKP) election campaign office in Seyhan district of Adana on May 4, 2023. IT is reported that 1 person was detained in relation to the attack.
14 members of YSP Youth Assembly who were detained by the police as they were on election campaign in Seyhan district of Adana on May 4, 2023, are released after statement procedures on May 5, 2023.
5 members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) who were detained on the grounds of making propaganda for an illegal organisation on social media, in Gebze district of Kocaeli on May 3, 2023, are arrested by the court on May 4, 2023.
Lawyer Şerzan Yelboğa, who went to Diyarbakır Courthouse to make official statement through a Diyarbakır based investigation on May 4, 2023, is arrested by the court after statement procedures.
Tuncay Yıldırım Özen and Sude Çağlar, who were detained on April 30, 2023 through an investigation on the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) members and executives, and were released on May 3, 2023; are detained once again in Izmir on May 4, 2023. It is learned that Sude Çağlar was arrested by the court on May 5, 2023.
It is learned that the police conducted ID check for those who wanted to participate in the campaign event of YSP in Ergani district of Diyarbakır on May 4, 2023 and did not allow minors to enter the event.
It is learned from the news coverage of May 4, 2023 that, the application of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) for Hatay deputy candidate Can Atalay who is in prison through the Gezi Park case, to make the official election speech at Turkish Radio Television, was rejected.
(05/038) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on May 4, 2023 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by the lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, in order to visit him was not responded.
(05/039) Detained People in Şırnak…
1 child (U. Ö., 15, e) of 7 people who were detained on the grounds of making propaganda for an illegal organisation in Silopi district of Şırnak on May 3, 2023, is arrested by the court on May 4, 2023. 6 people are released on judicial control conditions.
(05/040) Saturday Mothers on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against 14 people including Saturday Mothers and human rights defenders who were detained by the police intervening in the press declaration on 30 August International Day of Enforced Disappearances, held at Altınşehir Solitary Cemetery in Küçükçekmece district in 2022, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 1 on May 4, 2023. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to May 26, 2023.
(05/041) GÖÇİZ-DER Case…
The trial of the case at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 26 against 23 members and executives of the Migration Monitoring Association (GÖÇİZDER) including Bilal Yıldız, the social worker at the HRFT Istanbul office, is held in the courtroom of the Marmara (Silivri) Prison Compound on May 3 and 4, 2023. After defence hearings the court decided to exempt the defendants for the next trials and adjourned the trial to October 12, 2023.
(05/042) Journalists on Trial in Van…
The final trial of the case against Mezopotamya News Agency grant holder Ferhat Çelik and Jiyan TV grant holder İdris Yayla, is held at Van Heavy Penal Court No. 2 on May 4, 2023. The case was opened for the news reports titled “It is the same prosecutor giving the detention order for journalists”, regarding the journalists who were detained after making news reports about the incident in Çatak district of Van where 1 person died and 1 person was injured as a result of being thrown from a helicopter. The court sentenced journalists to 1 year and 3 months each on the charge of ‘targeting officers who took charge in fight against terrorism’.
(05/043) Journalist on Trial in Bitlis…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 4, 2023 that the final trial of the case against Bitlis Journalists’ Association chair and Bitlis News executive editor Sinan Aygül, over a news report he made about the Turkish Red Crescent in 2020, was held at Tatvan Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 on April 20, 2023 and that the court has sentenced Sinan Aygül to 4 months and 15 days on the charge of ‘violation of workplace immunity’.
(05/044) Person on Trial in Ankara…
The final trial of the case against the Search and Rescue Association (AKUT) former chair Nasuh Mahruki, on the grounds of insulting the AKP in social media posts is held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 on May 4, 2023. The court sentenced Nasuh Mahruki to pay a compensation of 10,000 Turkish Liras.
(05/045) Banned Book and Investigation Against Author…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 4, 2023 that, the book “Resistance and Victory in the Secret Torture Places of Fascism” written by Ayten Öztürk, who was detained in Lebanon on 8 March 2018 and was allegedly subjected to torture and other ill-treatment for 6 months after being questioned by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) was banned by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No. 6.
It is also learned that an investigation was launched against Ayten Öztürk, the author of the book, by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on the grounds of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’.
(05/046) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news reports about Medipol Hospital owned by the Health Minister, published on https://halktv.com.tr, https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr and https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr websites were banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No. 1 on May 4, 2023.
[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.