Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
9 November 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/074) Minister of Interior’s Statement about Saturday Mothers/People…
On November 8, 2023, Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya responded to a question by HEDEP Urfa MP Dilan Kunt Ayan at the Plan and Budget Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) regarding the weekly interventions by law enforcement officers and detentions of the Saturday Mothers/People, who were banned from the Galatasaray Square, by saying ” The Saturday Mothers are being subjected to victimization. We will find a solution as soon as possible.”
(11/075) Constitutional Court Decision on the Application for the Annulment of the Article of the Turkish Penal Code on the Offense of ‘Publicly Disseminating Misleading Information’…
On November 8, 2023, the Constitutional Court (AYM) ruled on the application for the annulment and the suspension of the execution of the article added to the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) with Article 29 of Law No. 418 on the Amendment of the Press Law and Certain Laws, which regulates the offense of ‘publicly disseminating misleading information’ and rejected the annulment request with a majority of votes.
(11/076) Court of Cassation’s Can Atalay Decision…
Can Atalay, Hatay MP from the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), was sentenced to 18 years in prison for ‘aiding the overthrow of the government’ during the Gezi Trial. The Constitutional Court later declared a violation in this case. Despite this, the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court sent the file to the Court of Cassation’s Penal Department No. 3. On November 8, 2023, the Penal Chamber No.3 rejected the Constitutional Court’s violation decision, claiming it exceeded its authority and violated the constitution. The chamber ruled to file a criminal complaint against the Constitutional Court members who issued the violation decision.
(11/077) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on November 9, 2023 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by the lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, in order to visit him was not responded.
(11/078) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Diyarbakır…
The Socialist Youth Associations Federation’s (SGDF) protest in the Diyarbakır Dicle University campus was intervened in by the police and private security staff, who detained 2 people with the use of physical violence.
(11/079) Former MP Detained…
Former MP Aysel Tuğluk, whose sentence was suspended due to health complications, was detained in Istanbul on November 8, 2023, on the grounds of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ during a speech she gave at an event in Hakkari. Following the statement procedures at the courthouse, Tuğluk was released on the same day.
(11/080) Left Party Executives Detained in Kocaeli…
Left Party (Sol Parti) Executives Buğra Aydoğan and Erdem Şimşek were detained in the house raids in the Gebze district of Kocaeli for their social media posts on November 8, 2023.
(11/081) MP and DBP Co-Chair on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Chair and Batman MP Keskin Bayındır on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ was held at the Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 10 on November 8, 2023. The court decided to suspend the trial due to Keskin Bayındır’s election as an MP.
(11/082) Journalists on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against 18 journalists continued on November 9, 2023, at the Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 4. Following the defences, the court rejected the request for lifting the ban on journalists leaving the country and adjourned the trial to February 1, 2024.
22 people were detained on June 8, 2022, and 16 journalists (Mezopotamya News Agency editor Aziz Oruç, Jinnews News Director Safiye Alağaş, Dicle Fırat Journalists Association Co-Chair Serdar Altan, Xwebûn newspaper Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş and journalists Ömer Çelik, Neşe Toprak, Mehmet Şahin, Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Elif Üngör, Remziye Temel, Suat Doğuhan, Lezgin Akdeniz, İbrahim Koyuncu, Abdurrahman Öncü, Ramazan Geciken and Mazlum Güler) were arrested on June 16, 2022. Detained journalists Gülşen Koçuk, Kadir Bayram, Mehmet Yalçın, Esmer Tunç and 2 others (Feynaz Koçuk and İhsan Ergünlü) were released on judicial control condition. On March 21, 2023, the court decided to separate the case against Jinnews News Director Safiye Alağaş, journalist Gülşen Koçuk, Feynaz Koçuk and İhsan Ergünlü.
15 journalists (Dicle Fırat Journalists Association Co-Chair Serdar Altan, Xwebûn newspaper Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Aziz Oruç, Ömer Çelik, Neşe Toprak, Mehmet Şahin, Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Elif Üngör, Remziye Temel, Suat Doğuhan, Lezgin Akdeniz, İbrahim Koyuncu, Abdurrahman Öncü, Ramazan Geciken and Mazlum Güler) were released at the first hearing of the case against them on July 11, 2023.
(11/083) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against Jinnews news director Safiye Alağaş was held at the Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 on November 9, 2023. The indictment demands Safiye Alağaş be sentenced for ‘being a member in an illegal organization’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court rejected the request for lifting the ban on leaving the country and adjourned the trial to February 22, 2024.
Safiye Alağaş was detained on June 8, 2022, arrested on June 16, 2022, and released at the first hearing of the case on June 15, 2023.
(11/084) Journalists on Trial in Van…
Ferhat Çelik, the franchise owner of Mezopotamya News Agency, and İdris Yayla, the franchise owner of Jiyan TV, were sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison by Van Heavy Penal Court No.2 for the news article titled “The same prosecutor gave the order for the detention of journalists,” which reported the arrest of journalists covering the incident where one person died and another was injured after being thrown from a helicopter in the Çatak district of Van. The sentence, related to the charge of targeting officers who took charge in the fight against terrorism ‘ was upheld by Van Regional Court of Appeals Penal Department No.2 on October 10, 2023.
(11/085) People on Trial in Mardin…
The first trial of the case against 12 people for the protest in the Dargeçit district of Mardin against the killing of a woman named Pakistan Demir on September 16, 2022, started on November 8, 2023, at Dargeçit Penal Court of First Instance. After the defences, the court adjourned the trial to February 21, 2024.
(11/086) People on Trial in Şırnak…
The trial of the case against TJA activist Dorşin Gök and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Youth Assembly members Miraç Dinç and Emin Kalkan about the former Justice and Development Party (AKP) Cizre district chair Cihan Güven’s death due to an armed attack on December 4, 2021, continued at Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No.2 on November 8, 2023. The court decided on the continuation of the detention of 3 people following the defences, and adjourned the trial to January 5, 2023.
(11/087) Police Officer on Trial in Diyarbakır…
On November 8, 2023, Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 3 held the final hearing of the case against police officer B. K. for the deaths of Zilan Yamankılıç, Remzi Menteşe, and İlhan Ayaş when an armored police vehicle crashed into another in the Lice district of Diyarbakır on June 19, 2017. The court decided to dismiss the case on the grounds that the governorate did not give permission for an investigation.
(11/088) The Trial on the Killing of Refugees in Izmir…
The trial of the case against Kemal Korukmaz for the killing of Syrian refugees Ahmed el Ali, Memnun Nebhan, and Muhammed Hüseyin el Abdo by burning them at their workplace in Güzelbahçe district of Izmir on November 16, 2021, is held at Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 1 on November 8, 2023. After witness statements, the court decided to continue the detention of the defendant and adjourned the trial to January 10, 2024.
(11/089) Administrative Fine for TV Channel…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 8, 2023, that Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed an administrative fine and 5 program suspensions on Flash Haber TV for some expressions in the program “Başkentte Gündem”.
[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.