Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
5 November 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/048) Person Found Dead in Siirt…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 4, 2020 that, İhsan Erdemci (55) who was abducted by unidentified persons, in Yanılmaz village of Eruh district of Siirt 2 days ago, is found dead, his hands and legs were tied, nearby the village.
(11/049) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that 1 civilian dead and 2 people got wounded in an attack of unidentified person or persons against workers at road construction site between two military bases in Derecik district of Hakkari on November 4, 2020.
(11/050) Person Was Subjected to Racist Attack at Military Service…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 4, 2020 that, Ç. D., a person who was on compulsory military service at Mechanized Infantry Brigade Command No 54 in Edirne was subjected to a racist attack which injures him on August 15, 2020, for he defends Kurdish education. It is reported that an investigation was initiated against 2 soldiers upon criminal complaint of Ç. D., and it is learned that based on testimonies of these 2 soldiers, an investigation is initiated against Ç. D. on the charges of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and ‘defiance of authority’.
(11/051) Police Intervention to a Protest in Manisa…
The gendarmerie intervened the mine workers who gather in Kırkağaç district of Manisa to march towards Ankara for their rights to compensation on November 4, 2020, and forced mine workers away from the road by using physical violence. It is learned that Independent Mine Workers Union organizers Kamil Kartal and Başaran Aksu were detained and 1 worker was injured.
(11/052) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the march of the Labourist Movement Party (EHP) members in Ankara on November 4, 2020, to protest the omnibus bill on severance payments, unemployment insurance fund, repatriation of capital, social security contribution, and taxes, which is discussed at Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The police detained 8 people including Sanem Deniz Kural, EHP’s Ankara provincial chair.
(11/053) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police prevented the press declaration of Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DISK) members in Ankara on November 4, 2020, to protest the omnibus bill on severance payments, unemployment insurance fund, repatriation of capital, social security contribution, and taxes, which is discussed at Grand National Assembly of Turkey. It is learned that Hami Baltacı, organizing manager of United Metalworkers’ Union was handcuffed behind his back and was detained by the police. Hami Baltacı was released afterwards. It is also reported that the police prevented journalists taking pictures and videos of the intervention.
(11/054) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ağrı…
The police intervened the press declaration of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) members in Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı on November 4, 2020, to mark the date of detention of HDP MP’s in 2016. It is learned that HDP members and executives including Ağrı MP Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir, were subjected to physical violence of the police.
(11/055) Detained Human Rights Defender, Political Party Executives and Other People in Balıkesir…
20 people including Human Rights Association (IHD) Balıkesir branch chair Fahri Semizoğlu, HDP Burhaniye district co-chair Yahya Anık and Union of Agriculture and Forestry Public Employees (TARIM-ORKAM-SEN) Diyarbakır branch chair Nasır Demirkıran who were detained through a Balıkesir based investigation on October 31, 2020, are released after statement procedures on November 4, 2020.
(11/056) Detained Grup Yorum Band Members and Other People Through an Istanbul Based Investigation…
99 people were detained in house raids in 12 cities through an Istanbul based investigation on October 28 and 29, 2020. Grup Yorum band members Ali Aracı, Seher Adıgüzel, Barış Yüksel, Eren Erdem and Özgürcan Elbiz; People’s Law Office lawyer Seda Şaraldı; Merve Demirel and Bengisu Demirel from “I Want My Job Back” protests in Yüksel Street of Ankara; Selvi Polat from “I Want My Job Back” protests in Bakırköy district of Istanbul; Türkan Albayrak who had sit-in protests for 2 years to get back her job in Sarıyer district of Istanbul; Ümit Özçelik who were having press declarations in Hatay for her mother Edibe Özçelik who lost her life in a house raid were among the detainees. 30 of 99 people are referred to the court on November 2, 2020. It is learned that 13 people (Adalet Karataştan, Berdan Akçiçek, Betül Varan, Seher Adıgüzel, Volkan Baran, Volkan Çeşme, Volkan Bülent Aydemir, Zeynep Gonca Karakoç, Olcay Abalay, Doğan Karataştan, Meral Hır, Eren Erdem, Barış Yüksel) were arrested; 7 people (İlyas Argun, Ali Aracı, Şahin Kıslakçı, Sever Işık, Sevilay Işık, Türkan Albayrak and Ümit Özçelik) were released on judicial control conditions on November 4, 2020.
Thus, in total 33 people are arrested, 37 people are released provided that 21 of them will be on judicial control conditions, and 2 people are released on house confinement, through this investigation.
(11/057) Detained HDP Executives in Osmaniye…
On November 4, 2020, HDP’s Osmaniye provincial co-chairs Kadriye Töre and Ali Coşkun, and provincial executives Celal Aydın, Mehmet Yıldırım, Osman Atilla and Devran Demir are detained in house raids in Osmaniye on November 4, 2020. It is learned that 4 people (Celal Aydın, Mehmet Yıldırım, Osman Atilla and Devran Demir) were released after statement procedures at the police on the same day while 2 people (Kadriye Töre and Ali Coşkun) are still under custody.
(11/058) Detained Newspaper Employee in Adana…
İbrahim Karakaş, an employee of Yeni Yaşam newspaper, is detained at Adana Courthouse where he was called through an investigation against him, on November 4, 2020.
(11/059) Detained People in Hatay…
5 people who were detained after clashes in Payas and Iskenderun districts of Hatay where 2 people claimed to be HPG militants died, are arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on November 4, 2020. Arrested people are: Ş.K., M.D., R.A., S.O. and Syrian citizen A.V.
(11/060) HDP Members on Trial in Kocaeli…
The trial of the case against 27 people (6 of them are arrested) including HDP’s Kocaeli co-chairs is held at Kocaeli Heavy Penal Court No 2 on November 4, 2020.
Arrested defendants joined the trial from prisons via sound and vision system. The court decided to continue detention of 6 people (Damla Bağcı, HDP Party Assembly member Mehmet Alçınkaya, Mehmet Karaaslan, HDP Gebze district co-chair Ebubekir Çoban, CHP’s Gebze city council member Osman Kurum, Kutbeddin Güneşsu) and adjourned the trial to December 2, 2020.
The court has released 8 people (HDP Kocaeli co-chair Leyla Aygün, HDP Party Assembly member Engin Güleser, HDP Gebze district co-chair Meryem Uslu, HDP Darıca district former co-chair Kudret Davutoğlu, HDP members Emine Karaaslan, Mekiye Aydın, Necla Erdoğan and Hasret Erdem), at the first trial held on July 8, 2020.
(11/061) People on Trial in Şırnak…
The case against 16 people, relatives of 34 people who died due to an air bombardment to Roboski village of Uludere district of Şırnak on December 28, 2011, is held at Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No 2 on November 4, 2020. The indictment demands sentence for 16 people on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, for they participated in a commemoration in 2015 for their relatives.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to December 23, 2020.
(11/062) Festus Okey Case…
The retrial of the case against police officer Cengiz Yıldız, for death of Festus Okey, a Nigerian citizen, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 21 on November 4, 2020. Festus Okey was detained in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on August 20, 2007 and died at Beyoğlu Police Station.
The prosecutor declared legal opinion on the case and demanded jail sentence from 2 years to 6 years for defendant police officer, on the charge of ‘reckless killing’. The court adjourned the trial to March 17, 2021.
Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 21 has sentenced Cengiz Yıldız to 4 years and 2 months on the charge of ‘reckless killing’ on December 13, 2011. Penal Department No 1 of the Cassation Court has found it nonprocedural that intervention demands of Festus Okey’s family was rejected by the local court, and send the case back to local court for a retrial. The local court however insisted on its previous verdict, and ruled as the same on June 5, 2014. Penal Department No 1 of the Cassation Court reversed the local court’s verdict and the case was reopened.
(11/063) Police Raid to HDP Office in Osmaniye…
HPD’s central district office in Osmaniye is raided and searched by the police on November 4, 2020.
(11/064) Penalty Fine to Social Media Companies…
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) imposed a fine of 10 million Turkish Liras on social media companies with more than a million daily visitors, namely Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Periscope and Tiktok, for failing to comply with the new social media law, which requires to open an office and report a legal representative in the country.
(11/065) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On November 4, 2020, 19 people are detained in operations covering 7 cities through an Istanbul based investigation.
It is learned that 1 person who was detained in a house raid in Antalya on November 4, 2020 was arrested by the court on the same day; 4 people were released and 4 people were taken to other cities where investigations against them are being conducted.
(11/66) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 77 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,391 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on November 4, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 10,558 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 384,509 as of November 4, 2020.
[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.