Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
6 – 8 March 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/086) Labour Killings…
On March 7, 2021, Worker Health and Worker Safety Council (ISIG) revealed that at least 138 workers including 7 women, 4 children and 4 migrants died while working in February 2021.
(03/087) Allegation of Suicide in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 6, 2021 that, Kurbani Özcan who was transferred from Trabzon Beşikdüzü Prison to Giresun Espiye Prison was subjected to physical and psychological violence and was forced to strip search at the entrance of prison; and that he attempted suicide. It is stated in the news reports that Kurbani Özcan was not admitted to hospital afterwards.
(03/088) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 4, 2021 that, prisoners in Maraş Türkoğlu Prison were subjected to physical violence of the correction officers; the prisoners who participated in the hunger strike to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan were put in solitary cells and were not given water.
(03/089) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 7, 2021 that in Balıkesir Bandırma T Type Prison No 1, prisoners were referred to hospitals only if they quit the hunger strike to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.
(03/090) Police Threat to Lawyer in Ankara…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 5, 2021 that, lawyer Tonguç Cankurt from ABRA Law Office was threatened by the police. It is learned that Tonguç Cankurt was dealing with the case of 3 people who were abducted in Ankara and were prevented from submitting petitions to Ankara Governorate about abduction.
ABRA Law Office made a declaration and stated the following: “A week ago (February 26, 2021) these students tried to submit petitions to Ankara Governorate about abduction. But before they arrive to the governorate’s office, the taxi they were in was stopped and they were prevented from going there. Tonguç Cankurt was trying to document this violation of right and collecting evidence on the case, outside of the governorate’s office; and he was surrounded by Ankara Security Directorate officers who attempted to seize his phone and he was threatened by targeting ABRA Law Office that he works for.”
(03/091) Police Intervention to 8 March International Women’s Day Events in Istanbul…
The police prevented LGBTIQ+ groups to participate in the 8 March International Women’s Day demonstration in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on March 6, 2021. LGBTIQ+ groups however participated in the demonstration but their flags with LGBTIQ+ symbols and rainbow umbrellas were not allowed in by the police.
After the demonstration the police stopped a taxi and detained the LGBTIQ+ activists in the taxi, by using physical violence. Several women who react against the police were also detained by the police using physical violence. It is also learned that journalists recording this were subjected to physical violence and 1 journalist was detained.
Some of the detained people are: Yıldız İdil Şen, Güneş Çetin, Eren Kaya, Nevruz Tuğçe Özçelik, Sedef Özer, Hejar, Ruken and journalist Şener Yılmaz Aslan.
Kadıköy Sub-Governorate’s Office made a declaration on March 6, 2021 and stated the following: “An LGBTİ group of 20 people, prevented the security officers from doing their duties at the check point and resisted to them. The same group resisted once again while the meeting was over, and the police detained these 9 people who resisted public officers to prevent their duties. The legal process is continuing.”
It is learned that 9 people were taken to Istanbul Security Directorate and were not allowed to see their lawyers for a long while. They were referred to the court on March 7, 2021 and 2 of them (Yıldız İdil Şen and Güneş Çetin) were released on house confinement for 1 month and 7 of them are released on judicial control conditions.
(03/092) Police Intervention to Workers’ Protest in Kocaeli…
The police intervened Migros grocery chain workers who were calling for 8 March International Women’s Day in front of the warehouse in Kocaeli on March 5, 2021 and detained 14 people by using physical violence. Migros workers were first forced to take unpaid leave and then were dismissed for being union members.
The police intervened the workers protesting the Anadolu Group company in front of their office and detained 8 workers.
22 people including Warehouse, Harbour, Dock and Sea Workers Union chair Murat Bostancı are released after statement procedures on the same day.
(03/093) Police Raid to Idil Cultural Center…
On March 5, 2021, Idil Cultural Center at Okmeydanı neighbourhood of Istanbul is raided by the police and 2 people (Bakican Işık, Turgut Onur) are detained.
(03/094) Investigation for Social Media Posts…
Havin Özcan, an activist of Kızıl Okyanus, made an official statement through an investigation for their social media posts on March 5, 2021 and they are released by the court on judicial control conditions on the same day.
(03/095) Detained Person in Samsun for Social Media Posts…
On March 5, 2021, 1 person (Y. B.) is detained in Samsun, for their social media posts about the helicopter crash in Bitlis where 11 soldiers died. Y. B. is released by the court on judicial control conditions on the same day.
(03/096) Detained Members and Executives of Association and Political Party Executives in Diyarbakır…
26 people have been detained in Diyarbakır through the investigation against MEBYA-DER (Association of People Lost Their Relatives in the Cradle of Civilizations), 3 of them (Zeki Dağ, Hanım Altındağ and 1 more person) are arrested by the court on March 5, 2021 while 1 person (Mevlüde Gündüz) is released on judicial control conditions.
The number of arrested people raised to 7 while 3 people were released on judicial control conditions. 16 people are still under custody.
(03/097) Detained HDP Member in Mardin…
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Women’s Assembly member Berfin Can, is detained after an event at HDP Mardin office on March 5, 2021. Berfin Can is released after statement procedures on the same day.
(03/098) Arrested Person for Protests Against Rector Appointment to Boğaziçi University…
Murat Can Demirci, who was detained in protests against the new rector appointed to Boğaziçi University and was arrested; is released from the prison upon his lawyers’ appeal on March 5, 2021. It is learned that the appeal for other arrested people was rejected.
(03/099) Mayor on Trial in Mardin…
The trial of the case against Mülkiye Esmez, HDP co-mayor of Sur district of Diyarbakır, is held at Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 11 on March 5, 2021.
Mülkiye Esmez joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court decided to send a writ for hearing anonymous witnesses at the trial and to continue detention of Mülkiye Esmez and adjourned the trial to May 21, 2021.
Mülkiye Esmez was detained on November 16, 2019 and was arrested by the court on November 26, 2019. Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to Derik district on November 16, 2019.
(03/100) Former HDP MP on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Çağlar Demirel, former Diyarbakır MP of HDP, is held at Derik Penal Court of First Instance on March 5, 2021. The case was related to waste water treatment plant project of Derik Municipality in 2009-2014 during mayor’s office of Çağlar Demirel, which could not be carried out due to shortage of budget and infrastructure.
The indictment demands sentence for Çağlar Demirel and other defendants from 2 years to 6 years on the charges of ‘intentional pollution of the environment’ and ‘violation of the Law of Environment’.
The court acquitted Çağlar Demirel, former Derik mayor Ramazan Kapar and deputy mayor Doğan Özbahçe.
(03/101) Constitutional Court Decision on Official Announcement and Advertisement Ban…
On January 13, 2021, the Constitutional Court concluded on the appeal of Korkusuz newspaper, for the one-day ban of official announcement and advertisement issued by the Press Advertisement Agency for an article “This is how they waste public money”. It is learned from the news coverage of March 5, 2021 that the court decided that freedom of expression and freedom of press mentioned in Article 26 and 28 of the Constitution were violated and the verdict should be send to Küçükçekmece Civil Court of First Instance No 2 for revision. It is reported that the court rejected the demand of compensation.
(03/102) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On March 5, 2021, 13 people are detained in operations covering 7 cities through an Istanbul based investigation; and 33 people are detained in Ankara.
On March 7, 2021, 1 person is detained in Edirne in an alleged attempt to illegally flee abroad.
11 people who were detained through an Izmir based investigation are arrested by the court on March 7, 2021.
(03/103) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against 18 people for the incidents at Kartal Bridge in Istanbul during July 15 coup attempt, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 on March 5, 2021. The court sentenced 4 people to 15 years each and 3 people to 12 years and 6 months each on the charge of ‘aiding to the attempt of abolishing constitutional order’. The court ruled no need to inflict punishment on 6 people and separated the case against 5 people.
(03/104) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 62 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 698 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on March 5, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 11,302.
The Ministry of Health declared that 64 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 702 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on March 6, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 11,770.
The Ministry of Health declared that 65 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 735 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on March 7, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 11,187.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 29,030 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,780,417 as of March 7, 2021.
It is learned that pharmacy technician Hatice Özgümüşdağ in Samsun lost her life from Covid-19 on March 5, 2021.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 6, 2021 that 9 prisoners in Kocaeli Gebze Women’s Prison tested positive for Covid-19.
[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.