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9 February 2023 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]

9 February 2023 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/079) Earthquakes in Antep and Maraş…

According to the information recorded by Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, on February 6, 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 in Şehitkamil district of Antep which struck at 04:17 local time and an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 in Ekinözü district of Maraş which struck at 13:24 local time killed at least 14,014 people and injured 63,794 people in Adana, Adıyaman, Antep, Diyarbakır, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Maraş, Osmaniye, Urfa provinces as of February 9, 2023. It is reported that at least 6,444 buildings had collapsed.

It is learned from the news coverage of February 8, 2023 that, the bodies of the people whose identification could not be made would be buried after a 24-hour waiting period, after DNA, fingerprints and photographs were taken.

It is learned from the news coverage of February 8, 2023 that, Maraş Türkoğlu L Type Prison was damaged in the earthquake and the prisoners were transferred to other prisons in Ankara, Aksaray and Kayseri.

(02/080) People Died in Prison…

It is learned from the news coverage of February 9, 2023 that 3 prisoners lost their lives and 9 prisoners were injured as a result of the intervention against the allegation of “escape attempt” in Hatay T Type Prison after the earthquake. It is reported that 390 prisoners were transferred to other prisons.

It could be seen in the video footage shared on the social media, that the prisoners, including the wounded, were put on the ground in the prison courtyard handcuffed behind their backs, while a person is saying, “Soldier, get away; there is a camera, no shooting”.

The General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses (CTE) of the Ministry of Justice stated the following on February 9, 2023: “Due to the attempted escape of some of the convicts and prisoners in Hatay T Type Closed Penitentiary Institution and then starting a fire; necessary interventions were made within the framework of the legal legislation in order to prevent escape, extinguish the fire and ensure the safety of the prisoners and convicts in the penitentiary institution. During the intervention to the events, 12 judicial convicts and prisoners were injured, and 3 of the injured who were referred to the hospital died”. In another statement made by the CTE on the same date, it was stated that the images allegedly belonging to Hatay T Type Closed Prison on social media platforms actually belong to Maraş Türkoğlu L Type Closed Prison No. 1, and “In the incident that took place in Türkoğlu No. 1 L-Type Closed Prison, the convicts and prisoners tried to get out of the penitentiary institution and as a result of the intervention of the gendarmerie battalion, which is responsible for ensuring the external security of the institution, the attempt to escape was prevented and institutional security was ensured. No deaths occurred during the intervention.”

(02/081) Prevention of Relief Activities in Earthquake Area…

It is learned from the news coverage of February 8, 2023 that, the relief material collected by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) for the survivors of the earthquake in Malatya were allowed to be delivered under police control.

It is learned from the news coverage of February 8, 2023 that, the relief campaign trucks of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) in Muğla were stopped and the banners of Muğla Governorate’s office were hung in front of the vehicles.

It is learned from the news coverage of February 9, 2023 that, the relief truck of HDP Mardin provincial organisation was seized by the police in Doğanşehir district of Malatya.

It is learned from the news coverage of February 9, 2023 that, the application of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers to work voluntarily in tent/container cities established after the earthquake was rejected by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

(02/082) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…

It is learned that the appeal made on February 8, 2023 to the chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by families and tutelary of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, and Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in Imralı Prison, in order to visit them was not responded.

(02/083) Detained Journalists in Urfa and Diyarbakır…

Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Mahmut Altıntaş and Jinnews reporter Sema Çağlak were detained by the police on February 8, 2023, while they were reporting on search and rescue efforts in Birecik district of Urfa. It is learned that 2 journalists were released on the same day after their press cards were confiscated.

Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Mehmet Güleş was detained along with the volunteer he was interviewing in earthquake search and rescue efforts in Diyarbakır on February 8, 2022.

(02/084) Detained Iranian Asylum Seeker in Muğla…

It is learned that an Iranian citizen named Arezup Yaghoubi, who was detained in Fethiye district of Muğla on February 7, 2023 and was taken to the Ula Repatriation Center, was decided to be deported on the charge of “acting against national security”.

(02/085) Prosecutions and Detentions for Social Media Posts…

The General Directorate of Security announced that prosecutions were initiated against 274 people and 31 people were detained, 9 people were arrested for their social media posts about the earthquakes in Antep and Maraş, as of February 9, 2023.

(02/086) Investigation Against Journalist…

It is learned that Van Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against journalist Oktay Candemir, on the grounds of ‘insulting’ the Provincial National Education Director in a social media post, and that Oktay Candemir made his official statement through the investigation at the Provincial Security Directorate.

(02/087) Access Restriction on Social Media Platforms…

It is learned from the news coverage of February 8, 2023, that the Information Technologies and Communications Authority (BTK) has restricted access by narrowing down the band for social media platforms Twitter and Tiktok. No official statement has been made on the matter. The restriction was cancelled later on the same day.

[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, 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.