8 April 2016 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/047) Co-Mayor Acquitted…
Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 concluded on 7 April 2016 to hear the case against Diyarbakır Co-Mayor Gültan Kışanak launched on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” with her speech on 9 January 2016 during the commemoration of 3 Kurdish women killed in Paris.
After the final defence as to the accusations, the court acquitted the defendant on the grounds that the elements of crime did not materialise.
(04/048) Operations and Attacks in the Southeast…
1 gendarmerie major and 5 police officers were killed, 10 members of Security Forces were wounded during the armed clashes on 7 April 2016 in Nusaybin district of Mardin.
4 militants were reportedly killed during an armed clash that broke out on 7 April 2016 in the rural area of Badan village in Varto district of Muş.
1 militant was killed during an armed clash on 6 April 2016 nearby Geyiksuyu village of Tunceli. 1 DHKP-C (Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party – Front) militant was reportedly killed during an armed clash in Hozat district of Tunceli.
(04/049) Detentions and Arrests…
9 persons including Co-Mayor of Ergani district Aygün Taşkın who were detained during operations in Ergani district of Diyarbakır were arrested on 7 April 2016 on the allegations of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation”.
Sise Bingöl (77) who was among 3 persons detained during operations conducted in Badan village of Varto district in Muş was arrested on 7 April 2016 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
(04/050) Columnist on Trial on the Allegations of Insulting the State President…
On 7 April 2016, Bakırköy (İstanbul) Penal Court of First Instance No 2 started to hear the case against Cengiz Çandar, columnist with the daily Radikal, launched on charges of “insulting the State President” in his 7 articles. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced according to the Article 299 TPC.
The defendant testified at the hearing to the effect that the Article 299 was unconstitutional and rejected to present defence. The court adjourned the hearing to 26 May 2016.
(04/051) Hopa Protesters on Trial…
On 7 April 2016, Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 24 concluded to hear the case 98 demonstrators launched in connection with the incidents during protests in Ankara against the intervention of the police in Artvin-Hopa district during a visit of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 31 May 2011 and the death of Metin Lokumcu as the result of the intervention.
The court acquitted all the defendants.
(04/052) Curfew in Sur…
After completion of operations in Sur district of Diyarbakır, body parts of a female were found on 7 April 2016 in the debris carried to a dumb site.