Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
7 December 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/089) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 6, 2018 that prisoners in Izmir Ödemiş T Type Prison were penalised as a result of disciplinary proceedings with prohibition from visits; the letters sent to them and Yeni Yaşam newspaper were not given to prisoners.
It is learned from the news coverage of December 6, 2018 that prisoners in Tarsus T Type Prison No 2 who started a 10-day hunger strike to support the hungers strike of Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair and People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP Leyla Güven in Düzce T Type Prison; are not given the vitamins and juice required for hunger strike.
(12/090) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on December 6, 2018 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of limitations for prisoners in accordance with the law on the execution of sentences and security measures (law no 5275). With the last rejection, it was the 770th time that appeals for visiting Öcalan have been rejected so far. Abdullah Öcalan has met his lawyers on July 27, 2011 for the last time.
(12/091) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 758 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on December 6, 2018 at 13.30 and 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on December 6, 2018, 3 people (Mahmut Konuk, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Nazan Bozkurt) and at 18.00 5 people (Gülnaz Bozkurt, Nazan Bozkurt, Merve Demirel, Bengisu Demirel and Deniz Aydın) were detained.
Thus in total 8 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on December 6, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(12/092) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
Türkan Albayrak, who was dismissed from her job at Sarıyer district Health Department, on the grounds of ‘personnel security investigation’ and ‘archive search’, on August 3, 2018; made a press declaration to regain her job on December 6, 2018 and attempted for a sit-in protest in front of Health Department. The police intervened into the sit-in and detained Türkan Albayrak. It is learned that Türkan Albayrak was released the same day. It is the 56th time of detention of Türkan Albayrak.
(12/093) Detained Members and Executives of HDP and DBP in Urfa…
On December 6, 2018, the police raided HDP’s Urfa office where members go on a 3-day hunger strike to support the hunger strike of Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair and People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP Leyla Güven in Düzce T Type Prison; and detained 38 people. It is learned that the police dragged HDP Urfa MP Ayşe Sürücü on the ground, and seized computers, hard disks and books at the office. The names of detainees are: Servet Kılıç, Rojda Binici, Faruk Badıllı, Şeyma Badıllı, B.T., Serpil Geyik, Nazlı Binici, Cemile Dağtekin, Murat Demirkıran, Osman Aydoğdu, Memduh Melik, Bilal Zeren, Mahmut Aslan, Ayşe Doğan, İzzet Karadağ, Ali Çağlayan, Abdullah Polat, Mahmut Manas, Mehmet Gülmezyüz, Feryal Çelikbaş.
On December 6, 2018, Peace Mother Hadle Oğur, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Urfa co-chair Bekir Karakeçili and Celalettin Erkmen are detained in house raids. It is also learned that houses of Aliye Kızıldamar and Sema Aişeoğlu were also raided but they were not detained for not being found at home.
(12/094) Singer Detained in Istanbul…
Iranian singer Yelda Abbasi, who came to Turkey for 27th foundation anniversary of Mezopotamya Cultural Center, is detained at Istanbul Ataturk Airport on December 6, 2018. The reason for detention is unknown.
(12/095) People Detained in Ağrı…
On December 6, 2018, 14 people are detained on the grounds of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and ‘aiding and abetting an illegal organisation’, in house raids in Eleşkirt and Taşlıçay districts of Ağrı. The names of detainees are unknown.
(12/096) Detained HDP Members in Mersin for Supporting Hunger Strike…
10 people who were on a hunger strike at HDP’s Mersin office to support DTK co-chair and HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven, and who were detained in a police raid to the office on December 2, 2018, are released on December 6, 2018 on judicial control conditions.
(12/097) Detained Members of HDP and DBP in Diyarbakır…
14 people including members and executives of HDP and DBP, who were detained on December 5, 2018, in house raids in Diyarbakır; are released on December 6, 2018 after statement procedures at the police. The names of people released are: HDP Bağlar district co-chair Necmettin Burakmak, Yenişehir district co-chair Vahap Günay, Kayapınar district co-chair Haluk Eyüpoğlı, DBP Bağlar district co-chair Ali Alkan, DBP executives Ramazan Üngür and Niyazi Baran; DTK member Diyadin Noyan; Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activist Hayat Akyol, HDP executives Seyrettin Kılıç, Osman Dön and Sait Demir, Esma Ayata, Hatun Aslan ve Naşit Bat.
(12/098) Person Detained in Izmir for Social Media Posts…
On December 6, 2018, Necah Berge (60) is detained in a house raid in Izmir, on the grounds of social media posts. Necah Berge is released by the court on judicial control conditions on the same day.
(12/099) Person Detained in Trabzon for Social Media Posts…
Berivan Bila, a student of Karadeniz Technical University Department of Journalism, is detained in a house raid in Trabzon on December 6, 2018, on the grounds of social media posts.
(12/100) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The case against PhD Esra Akbalık who was dismissed from Maltepe University, for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on December 6, 2018. The court decided to consolidate the case with other cases against academicians and adjourned the trial to April 25, 2019.
The separate cases against 3 academicians (Assist. Professor Z.M. from Özyeğin University, Didem Pekün from Koç University and Assist. Professor Eylem Özdemir from Istanbul University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ are held on December 6, 2018. The court adjourned the trial of the case against Didem Pekün to March 7, 2019, and the trials of the cases against Z.M. and Eylem Özdemir to March 5, 2019.
The case against Assoc. Professor Gülhan Balsoy from Bilgi University for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 28 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced Gülhan Balsoy to 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
The separate cases against 7 academicians (Assist. Professor Çetin Gürer discharged from Nişantaşı University; Tuba İnal Çekiç and Zeynep Batumlu dismissed from Yıldız Technical University; PhD student Güler İnce and Assist. Professor Barış Yapışkan from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University; PhD student Ayşe Işın Önol Azize from University of Vienna; Assist. Professor Bediz Bayraktar dismissed from Mersin University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 33 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ are held on December 6, 2018. The court adjourned all trials to May 3, 2019.
(12/101) Newspaper Employees on Trial in Istanbul…
The case against 14 employees including 5 arrested employees (Hicran Ürün, Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Mehmet Ali Çelebi, İshak Yasul and İhsan Yaşar) of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 on December 6, 2018. The court decided to continue detention for 5 people and adjourned the trial to February 21, 2019.
(12/102) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The case against journalist Kibriye Evren on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 started to be held on December 6, 2018. The court decided to continue detention for Kibriye Evren, and to send a writ to Witness Protection Department in order to have anonymous witnesses “Ezhel”, “Firar” and “Cesur Yürek” brought to the court for the next trial which is adjourned to January 10, 2018.
Jinnews web portal’s editor Kibriye Evren was detained in house raids in Diyarbakır on October 9, 2018 and was arrested on October 11, 2018.
(12/103) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The case against Fatih Polat, executive director of Evrensel newspaper, on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2, on the charge of ‘publicly exposing confidentiality of communication’, is held on December 6, 2018. The indictment demands sentence for Fatih Polat, for the news reports published on the newspaper on February 22, 2010, about tape recordings alleged to be of Burhan Kuzu, chair of The Committee on Constitution back then.
The prosecution on Fatih Polat was postponed for 3 years with the legislative regulation dated July 5, 2012. Fatih Polat was sentenced on another case within these 3 years thus prosecution is resumed on.
The court has decided to submit the case to an expert on informatics in order to detect whether any news reports were published on Evrensel newspaper before February 22, 2010. However, since the expected report was not submitted, the court adjourned the trial to March 7, 2019.
(12/104) People on Trial in Denizli for Organising Commemoration for Deniz Gezmiş…
The final trial of the case against 29 people, for organising and participating in an event to commemorate Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan, on May 6, 2017, is held on Denizli Penal Court of First Instance No 10 is held on December 6, 2018. The court acquitted 29 people.
(12/105) Person on Trial in Izmir for ‘Insulting the President’…
The final trial of the case against G.Ş., on the grounds of ‘insulting the President in social media posts’ during July 15 coup attempt; is held on Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 2 on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced G.Ş. to 1 year 5 months and 15 days for ‘insulting the President’ and to 10 months for ‘degrading Turkish nation, Turkish republic and The Grand National Assembly’; and deferred the announcement of both verdicts.
G.Ş. was detained and arrested on July 20, 2016; and was released on the first trial of the case.
(12/106) People on Trial for Gezi Park Protests’ Anniversary Demonstrations…
The final trial of the case against 6 people, for participating in a demonstration held for anniversary of Gezi Park protests, is held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 28 on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced 1 person to 2 years and 6 months, 1 person to 2 years 4 months and 22 days, and 1 person to 4 years and 22 days for ‘resisting a police officer’ and ‘opposing the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’. The court sentenced 1 person to 5 years 8 months and 22 days for the same reasons along with ‘intentional injury’; and sentenced 2 people to 10 months each for ‘opposing the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’.
(12/107) The Case Against Turkish Medical Association Executive Board…
The final trial of the case on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 5, upon complaint of Ministry of Health, demanding discharge of Istanbul Medical Chamber Executive Board, on the grounds that, in a speech he made on September 4, 2016 former chair of the chamber, Selçuk Erez, allegedly ‘made propaganda for an illegal organisation’, is held on December 6, 2018. The court decided on non-verdict.
(12/108) ECHR Decision on Selahattin Demirtaş Case…
The demand for release of former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, made by his lawyers to Ankara Heavy Penal Court 19 was rejected. The appeal made to Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 20 is rejected too.
On November 30, 2018, Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19 has rejected the demand of release in accordance with ECHR decision on Selahattin Demirtaş case.
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) announced the decision on HDP’s former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş’s appeal on November 20, 2018 and declared that all measures must be taken to end detention of Selahattin Demirtaş and sentenced Turkey to pay 10.000 Euros for moral and 15.000 Euros for material indemnities.
(12/109) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On December 6, 2018, 1 person in Samsun and Captain M.S., Commander of Military Recruitment Office in Rize are detained.
2 people who were detained in Adana on November 30, 2018 are arrested on December 6, 2018.
10 of 14 people who were detained through a Kayseri based investigation on December 5, 2018, are arrested on December 6, 2018. 4 people are released on judicial control conditions.
(12/110) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trials of the separate cases against 7 people for leaking the questions of Public Personnel Selection Exam in 2010, on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced 5 defendants to 6 years and 3 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court also sentenced 4 defendants to 4 years and 2 months for ‘chain fraud towards public institutions’ and converted the penalty to fine. The court acquitted 2 defendants.
The final trial of the case against former public prosecutors Yusuf Berk and Sinan Emirler and former judge Muharrem Barut, on Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 14 is held on December 14, 2018. The court sentenced the defendants to imprisonment for a term of 6 years 10 months 15 days to 7 years and 11 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The final trial of the case against 60 people including Şahabettin Harput, former governor of Bursa and some business people, on Bursa Heavy Penal Court No 8 is held on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced 24 people to imprisonment for a term of 6 years and 3 months to 7 years and 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation’ and sentenced 8 people on effective remorse laws, to imprisonment for a term of 1 year 6 months to 4 years and 2 months for the same reason. The court sentenced 5 people to 2 years and 1 month each for ‘aiding an illegal organisation’. The court acquitted 10 people and separated the cases of 13 people.
The final trial of the case against 36 people on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 21 is held on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced 16 people to 15 years and 1 person to 16 years and 6 months for ‘leading an illegal organisation’. The court sentenced 19 people to imprisonment for a term from 1 year 10 months and 15 days to 10 years 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The final trial of the case against Serap Karataş, on Tekirdağ Heavy Penal Court No 3 is held on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced the defendant to 7 years and 3 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The final trial of the case against 4 former physicians who were dismissed by state of emergency decrees, on Adıyaman Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on December 6, 2018. The court sentenced the defendants to imprisonment for a term of 4 year 2 months to 12 years and 9 months for ‘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.
[2]To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.
[3]https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT
[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari
[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, YeniYaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, T724, 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.