Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
8 May 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/026) Labor Killings…
Worker Health and Worker Safety Council (ISIG) declared on May 8, 2025 that at least 152 workers including 4 women, 8 children and 7 migrants/refugees died while working in April 2025.
(05/041) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
According to news reports on May 8, 2025, three political prisoners held at the Bünyan Women’s Prison in Kayseri were subjected to verbal and physical assault by a criminal prisoner while being transferred to the hospital.
(05/043) Police Intervention in Ankara Protest…
On May 7, 2025, police intervened in a protest held in front of the Constitutional Court (AYM) in Ankara to protest the AYM’s decision to reject an application for the annulment and suspension of the Animal Protection Law. It was reported that no one was detained during the intervention.
(05/044) Intervention in a Film Screening in Kocaeli…
On May 7, 2025, it was reported that the screening of the film “Beynelmilel,” directed by Sırrı Süreyya Önder, was not permitted by the university administration at Kocaeli University campus, the amphitheater where the screening was to take place was closed, and students attempting to enter the amphitheater were intervened by the faculty secretary.
(05/045) Person Arrested in Antalya…
Arif Kocabıyk, a person conducting street interviews, was detained on May 7, 2025, in Antalya on the grounds that he insulted the President during an interview, and was arrested by the magistrate’s court to which he was referred on the same day.
(05/046) Trial of Former HDP MP…
Semra Güzel, a former MP of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakır, who was detained on September 2, 2022, after her parliamentary immunity was lifted, and arrested by the court she was referred to on September 3, 2022, appeared in court on May 7, 2025, in the trial opened against her at the Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 22. The court ruled to continue Semra Güzel’s detention and postponed the hearing to July 11, 2025.
(05/047) Trial of a Journalist in Kilis…
The final hearing of the case against journalist Barış Pehlivan, who was charged for an article he wrote about a prosecutor, was held on May 7, 2025, at the Kilis Criminal Court of First Instance. The court sentenced Barış Pehlivan to one year and three months in prison for “violating the confidentiality of communications.”
(05/048) Trial of Journalists in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against journalist Barış Pehlivan and former editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu, based on an article published in the newspaper regarding a brochure titled “Sabıka Holding” prepared by the CHP, was held on May 8, 2025, at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 15. The indictment seeks the punishment of the journalists for the crimes of “insulting the President” and “insulting a public official.” The court acquitted both journalists.
(05/049) Trial of a Journalist in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against journalist Zeynep Kuray, who was charged based on social media posts, was held on May 8, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 26. The indictment seeks punishment for Zeynep Kuray on charges of “making organization propaganda.” The court acquitted Zeynep Kuray.
(05/050) Trial of Istanbul Municipal Council Members, Party Officials, and Others…
According to news reports on May 8, 2025, tensions arose between members and officials of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and police officers in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse, where Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu had gone to give a statement as part of investigations against him. Maltepe Municipal Council Member Yusuf Alperen Yurdudeven, Esenyurt Municipal Council Member Canali Tan, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik, CHP Sultangazi District Chairman Kemal Avseren, and CHP Maltepe District Chairman Kenan Otlu were among the 26 individuals against whom an indictment was prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The indictment seeks the prosecution of the 26 individuals on charges of “resisting the performance of duty,” “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911,” “intentional assault,” and “damage to public property.”
(05/051) Trial of an Association Chairperson in Istanbul…
The trial of Müslüm Koyun, Co-Chairperson of the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SDGF), began on May 7, 2025, at the Istanbul 22nd Heavy Penal Court. Following the defense statements, the court decided to release Müslüm Koyun and postponed the hearing to November 4, 2025.
Müslüm Koyun was detained on January 20, 2025, and arrested on January 24, 2025.
(05/052) Individuals on Trial in Istanbul…
An indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against 16 people, 14 of whom are in custody, for slogans they shouted during protests in Saraçhane Square in the Fatih district of Istanbul to protest the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was accepted by the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance. The indictment seeks the punishment of the 16 people for “insulting the president.” The first hearing of the case will take place on May 30, 2025.
(05/053) Individuals on Trial in Bursa…
On November 23, 2023, Mehmet Altın, who poured Coca-Cola in front of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) district office in Gemlik, Bursa, to protest against Israel, and Yıldırım Doğan, who filmed the incident, were tried at the Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance. The final hearing of the case was held on May 7, 2025. The indictment sought the punishment of the two individuals for “inciting the public to hatred and hostility,” “damaging property,” and “insulting the President.” The court acquitted both individuals.
(05/054) Concert Cancelled in Istanbul…
According to news reports on May 6, 2025, a concert by Bulutsuzluk Özlemi, which was to be held as part of the “Futuristech” events organized by the Economics Club of Istanbul Boğaziçi University, was cancelled after the rectorate refused to grant permission.
(05/055) Social Media Accounts Blocked…
According to news reports on May 8, 2025, access to the X social media account belonging to Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was blocked by the Istanbul Criminal Court of Peace No 8 on April 24, 2025, on the grounds of protecting national security and public order, and the account was made invisible in Turkey.
The Ministry of Interior announced during its speech at the “Synthetic Media and Information Security Workshop” on May 7, 2025, that access to 27,304 social media accounts had been restricted in the first four months of 2025.
(05/056) Individuals Arrested in an Investigation Centered in İzmir…
On May 8, 2025, 10 people were detained in operations conducted in four provinces (Izmir, Erzurum, Denizli, and Kars) as part of an investigation centred in Izmir on the grounds that they used ByLock, had accounts at Bank Asya, and worked at institutions closed by KHK.
[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.