Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
7 January 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/047) Allegation of Suicide in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 6, 2021 that, 3 prisoners (A. S., H. K. and E. A.) attempted suicide in Antalya E Type Prison on December 28, 2020. It is reported that prisoners were taken under treatment in hospital.
(01/048) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Istanbul…
It is learned that lawyer Eren Keskin, co-chair of Human Rights Association (IHD) who went to Security Directorate of Istanbul on January 6, 2021 to visit 36 people under custody, were not allowed to see detainees. 36 people were detained in house raids in Istanbul, following the protests at Boğaziçi University on January 4, 2021; and they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment including strip search under custody.
It is reported that detention period for 36 people was extended to 48 hours.
(01/049) Detained University Students in Istanbul…
Following the press declaration at Boğaziçi University campus which was held on January 4, 2021 to protest the new rector appointed to the university by the President, a detention warrant was issued for university students. On January 6, 2021, 14 people including Deniz Bahçeci, co-chair of Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) are detained in house raids in Istanbul, which raised the number of detained people in total 36.
Detained people are: Deniz Bahçeci, Azze Deniz Avşar, Mert Soydan, Elif Karakaya, Zeynel Çuhadır, Rıdvan Salih Gezegen, Aydın Onay, Arzum Yalçın, Muhammed Hizmetçi, Figen Çiçek Yaman, Tuana Öztuncel, Yunus Emre Karaca, Doğukan Akkaya.
(01/050) Detained Person in Istanbul…
On January 6, 2021, after the press declaration held at Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul office, to draw attention to 36 students who were detained following the protests at Boğaziçi University on January 4, 2021; 1 person (Mısra Sapan) is detained by the police.
(01/051) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the students in front of the National Library in Ankara, who were having a reading event to protest the new rector appointed to Boğaziçi University by the President, on January 6, 2021; and detained 2 people (Tuna Yıldız and Buğrahan Gönültaş). Detained people are released after statement procedures on the same day.
(01/052) Journalists on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against Oda TV Ankara news director Müyesser Yıldız, Tele 1 TV channel Ankara correspondent İsmail Dükel, and Erdal Baran is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 26 on January 6, 2021.
The indictment demands jail sentence from 6 years and 3 months to 17 years and 6 months for 3 people on the charge of ‘disclosure of information relating to the security of the state’.
It is learned that a new indictment was prepared against Müyesser Yıldız and İsmail Dükel, on the charge of ‘continuously securing information that is to be kept confidential for reasons relating to the security of the state’ and it was included in this case. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Erdal Baran and adjourned the trial to February 5, 2021.
3 people were detained on June 8, 2020; Müyesser Yıldız and Erdal Baran were arrested by the court and İsmail Dükel was released on judicial control conditions on June 11, 2020.
(01/053) Investigation Against Journalist…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 6, 2021 that, an investigation was initiated against journalist Pelin Ünker and Deutsche Welle Director General Peter Limbourg, and that Pelin Ünker made her official statement at Department of Financial Offences at Security Directorate of Istanbul. It is reported that the investigation is initiated upon the criminal complaint of Aktif Bank for the news report “Accusation by US banks” published on DW on September 21, 2020.
(01/054) The Case Against Former Co-mayor and Former DBP Co-chair…
Malatya Heavy Penal Court No 5 has sentenced Gültan Kışanak, former co-mayor of Diyarbakır, to 14 years and 3 months; and Sebahat Tuncel, former co-chair of Democratic Regions Party (DBP), to 15 years; and Penal Department No 18 of Antep Regional Court has reversed the verdict.
The retrial is held at Malatya Heavy Penal Court No 5 on January 6, 2021. Gültan Kışanak and Sebahat Tuncel joined the trial via sound and vision system. The court decided to continue detention of Kışanak and Tuncel and adjourned the trial to February 26, 2021.
(01/055) Members and Executives of Political Parties, Associations and City Council Members on Trial in Antep…
The first trial of the case against 29 people (18 of them are arrested) including members and executives of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP), Human Rights Association (IHD), Association of 78 Generation, and Peace Mothers Assembly along with lawyers and members of city councils, is held at Antep Heavy Penal Court No 2 on January 4-6, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for these people on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, for their activities within political parties and associations.
After defence hearings the court released 11 people (Abdullah Acar, Avukat Adnan Erol, Ali Şimşek, Cüneyt Kaya, Ömer Sungur, Sevinç Selçuk, Songül Koçdağ, Recai Yılmaz, Enver Özmen, İbrahim Dağ and Remziye Kuş), and decided to continue detention of 7 people (Remziye Erden, Musa Aydın, Bahri Yarış, Hasan Saran, Mehmet Avşar, Hurşit Besle and İsa Aslan), and adjourned the trial to February 19, 2021.
29 people were detained on July 14, 2020; and 18 of them were arrested on July 16, 2020 and on following days.
(01/056) Ban of Events in Two Districts of Istanbul…
Istanbul Governorate made a declaration on January 6, 2021 and banned all meetings, demonstrations and protests in Beşiktaş and Sarıyer districts. The governorate’s declaration does not state any time period.
(01/057) Regional Court Decision on Investigations of Torture and Ill-Treatment Complaints…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 7, 2021 that, Istanbul Regional Administrative Court has ruled that, permission of civil administration is not sought to investigate the police officers committing torture and ill-treatment to participators of a press declaration for prisoners on hunger strike, in front of Gebze Prison on May 2, 2019. A criminal complaint was filed against 6 police officers, on the charges of torture and ill-treatment, injury, giving and following unlawful orders and prevention of freedom of expression; however, Gebze Sub-Governorate did not allow the investigation. Istanbul Regional Administrative Court decided that since those deeds are not related to official duties of the police officers, there is no ground for special investigation procedure.
(01/058) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news reports about the acquittal of a person who was on trial on the grounds of insulting Justice and development Party (AKP) MP Ravza Kavakçı, published on https://www.sabah.com.tr, https://www.takvim.com.tr/, https://www.yeniakit.com.tr/ websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 3 on January 6, 2021.
It is learned that 6 news reports about the new book of Barış Terkoğlu and Barış Pehlivan published on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/, https://ilerihaber.org/, https://t24.com.tr/, https://odatv4.com/ websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 3 on January 6, 2021.
(01/059) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On January 6, 2021, 4 people are detained in house raids in Adana; 1 person is detained in a house raid in Ankara.
It is learned that 2 people (Salih Fidan and Samet Güre) who were detained in Ukraine, are deported to Turkey.
(01/060) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 191 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,458 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on January 6, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 13,830.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 22,070 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,283,931 as of January 6, 2021.
It is learned that 2 health workers (Orkun Karadağ in Amasya and dentist Ali Kandemir in Aydın) lost their lives due to Covid-19 on January 6, 2021.
[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.