Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
8 October 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(10/060) Workplace Fatalities…
A statement issued by the Council for Occupational Health and Safety (İSİG) indicated that in September 2026, at least 226 workers lost their lives whilst at work, including 21 women, 14 refugees/migrants and 8 children.
(10/061) Decision Not to Prosecute Regarding Allegations of Torture and Other Ill-Treatment…
According to press reports on 7 October 2026, it was learned that the Istanbul Anatolia Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had decided not to prosecute in relation to a criminal complaint concerning the torture and other ill-treatment allegedly suffered whilst detained by four individuals – identified as Ç.A. (m), B.A. (f), C.A. (m) and R.A. (f).
(10/062) Police Intervention at a Protest in Diyarbakır…
On 7 October 2026, police intervened using physical force against a protest organised by workers at the ongoing City Hospital construction site in Diyarbakır, who were demanding improvements to their employment rights and working conditions. It was reported that no one was detained during the intervention.
(10/063) Artist Detained…
Artist Berna Laçin was detained on 7 October 2026 as part of an investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on the grounds of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility”, based on a social media post she made regarding the Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality’s switch to the Justice and Development Party.
(10/064) Individuals Detained in Mersin…
On 8 October 2026, seven people were detained as part of an investigation into the Silifke District Municipality in Mersin.
(10/065) Trial of Municipal Councillors and Municipal Officials in Istanbul…
Ten people, including two deputy mayors and seven municipal councillors, two of whom are in custody (Cemalettin Yüksel, Deputy Mayor of Kartal; Livan Gür, Deputy Mayor of Ataşehir; Bülent Kaygun, Municipal Councillor for Üsküdar; Elif Gül, Municipal Councillor for Sancaktepe; Güzin Alparslan, Municipal Councillor for Fatih; Tuzla Municipal Councillor Hasan Özdemir, Adalar Municipal Councillor Nesimi Aday, Şişli Municipal Councillor Sinan Gür, Beyoğlu Municipal Councillor Turabi Şen and a person named İkbal Polat) was heard on 7 October 2026 at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23.
The court sentenced Beyoğlu Municipal Councillor Turabi Şen and Sancaktepe Municipal Councillor Elif Gül to 6 years and 3 months’ imprisonment on charges of being members of an illegal organisation, whilst acquitting the remaining 8 defendants.
The 10 individuals were detained on 11 February 2025 and arrested on 13 February 2025. One of those detained was released at the first hearing of the case on 18 September 2025, seven were released at the hearing on 27 November 2025, and two were released at the hearing on 18 February 2026.
(10/066) The Trial of the Academic
Güllistan Yarkın, an academic who completed her PhD in Sociology at the State University of New York (SUNY) in the United States (US) and currently resides in Germany, is the subject of an indictment concerning her doctoral thesis, *The Making of National-Racial Formation and Coloniality in Turkey: Turkish-Kurdish Relations in a Working-Class District of Zeytinburnu in Istanbul, 1950–2017* (The Making of National-Racial Formation and Coloniality in Turkey: Turkish-Kurdish Relations in Zeytinburnu, a Working-Class District of Istanbul, 1950–2017), proceedings commenced on 6 October 2026 at the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance No. 92. The indictment seeks the prosecution of Dr Gülistan Yarkın under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
The court ruled to uphold the arrest warrant against Gülistan Yarkın and adjourned the hearing until 14 January 2027.
[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.