GENERAL HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT – May 2013
The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT)
01-02 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report / (05/001) Intervention to the May Day in İstanbul Province…
After Muammer Güler, the Minister of Interior Affairs, announced that Labour Day could not be celebrated in Taksim Square in İstanbul Province on 18 April 2013, İstanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu also stated it a meeting cannot be conducted in Taksim Square on 29 April 2013.
On 29 April 2013 KESK and DİSK Chairpersons met with Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and he said them that Takim Square will not be permitted. İstanbul governorate stated that the groups which will attempt to reach European Side from the Anatolian one will be interfered and the public transport will be halted from one side to another in the morning of 1 May 2013.
İstanbul Security Directorate interfered to the groups that would like to celebrate May Day in Taksim Quarter of İstanbul Province on 1 May 2013, with 22.000 police officers and 37 armoured Vehicles for Intervention to Social Incidents (TOMA), tear gas, pressured water and plastic bullets.
Serdal Gül, Meral Dönmez, Fehmi Oran Meşe ve Dilan Alp had wounded with the hit of canister of tear gas bomb and had operations. Six reporters were also wounded in the incidents.
Police teams interfered to the group that made a public statement in Beşiktaş Square with gas bombs and pressured water as they were disbanding.
İstanbul Governor claimed at the end on the day that the interventions were “extraordinarily proportional” and 2000 tear gas bombs were used; 72 people were arrested; 22 police officers and 3 civilians were wounded. According to the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Trade Union (DİSK) the number of wounded civilians is 124.
(05/002) Operations and clashes in South-east…
Gendarmerie soldiers Mustafa Altan and İbrahim Özkıdır were killed with the explosion of the land mine as they were patrolling in Bayraktepe Region of Korhan Plateau in Iğdır Province on 1 May 2013.
(05/003) Work accidents in Niğde Province …
Emre Değirmencioğlu (25) who was working in the readymade concrete factory in Niğde Province on 1 May 2013 died with the hit of the construction vehicle.
Enes Erdoğan a construction worker, died by falling from the building he had been working in Niğde Province on 1 May 2013.
(05/004) Person proposed to be an agent…
Ege University student Ömer Akın stated that the police officers who had talked with him proposed him to be an agent in Bornova Security directorate İzmir Province on 1 May 2013.
(05/005) Tried people…
On 29 April 2013 Adana Heavy Penal Court accepted the indictment against 13 members of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), who had allegedly carried the flags of THKP/C and Devrimci Yol in İskenderun Distrct of Hatay Province on ’nde 1 May 2012 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.
(05/006) Intervention to the protest in Mersin Province…
Police teams interfered to the protest of the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP) against the wounding of Dilan Alp in May Day in İstanbul Province in Mersin Province and beat and arrested 13 people.
03 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/007) Intervention to the May Day in İstanbul Province…
İstanbul Security Directorate interfered to the groups that would like to celebrate May Day in Taksim Quarter of İstanbul Province on 1 May 2013, with 22.000 police officers and 37 armoured Vehicles for Intervention to Social Incidents (TOMA), tear gas, pressured water and plastic bullets.
Several people were affected from tear gas and several others were wounded. İbrahim Akal who had wounded with the hit of canister of tear gas bomb, lost one of his eye and there is a risk of losing the other one, stated by his brother on 2 May 2013.
(05/008) Work accident in İzmir Province…
Recep Karaoğlan (43), who had been a worker of a firm in Gaziemir District of İzmir Province died due to electric shock on 2 May 2013.
(05/009) Work accident in Eskişehir Province…
Fazlı Keskin (40) a worker of Eskişehir Cosmopolitan Municipality’s Infrastructure Directorate (ESKİ) died in the land subsidence in Eskişehir Province on 2 May 2013.
(05/010) The case on the bombing incident in Güngören…
Seventeen people had been killed and 154 people had been wounded in the bomb attack in Güngören District of İstanbul Province on 29 July 2008.
On 7 February 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 12 went on hearing the case against nine defendants – 8 pre-trial detainees- on charges of “homicide”. The prosecutor, in the previous hearings, had asked life sentence in solitary confinement and with no possibility of parole for 17 times and an imprisonment up to 1800 years for the two defendants Hüseyin Türeli and Nusret Teriş each.
The prosecutor had asked for the imprisonment of 6 defendants on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “having unlicensed firearms” and acquittal for a defendant.
On 7 February 2013 the court heard the witnesses on behalf of the defendants and released pre-trial detainees Şerafettin Kara and Aydın Ağlar.
On 2 May 2013 the court heard the secret witness who rejected his witness account in the security directorate and claimed that innocent people have been tried as pre-trial detainees with the plot organised by the security directorate and intelligence units. He also claimed that an empty page was given to him to sign in the directorate and it was filled later.
The hearing was adjourned to 4 July 2013.
(05/011) Coercion in prison…
Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 2 May 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.
(05/013) Ongoing KCK Case in Kahramanmaraş Province…
On 2 May 2013 Malatya 3. Heavy Penal Court No. 3 went on hearing the case against 4 pre-trial detainees who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Kahramanmaraş Province on 25 May 2012 and BDP Province Chairperson Metin Gönülsan, Pazarcık District Chairperson Ayşe Sonzamancı, Elbistan District Chairperson Hüseyin Yıldız and BDP member Mahmut Aktaş had been detained on 28 May 2012.
The court heard the legal arguments in Kurdish and released the pre-trial detainees.
(05/014) Finalised KCK Case in Sivas Province…
On 2 May 2013 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 13 students of Cumhuriyet University -8 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Sivas Province on 27 March 2012.
The court heard the legal arguments in Kurdish and sentenced pre-trial detainees Aynur Gök, Şenol Yoldaş, İsmail Taş, Hakan Algün, İbrahim Halil Vural, Mehmet Saruhan, Cahit Baştaş and İbrahim Halil Dengi to 9 years of imprisonment on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC; defendants Muhittin Duman, Metin Çakır, Sibel Aslantaş, Zahit Kargın and Kamuran İbek tp 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC.
04-06 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/015) Work accident in Antalya Province…
Muhammed Güngör who has been working as a courier in a pizza franchising’s Gürsu Branch, seriously wounded in the traffic accident due to the campaign of the firm “hot pizza service in 30 minutes in Konyaaltı District of Antalya Province on 3 May 2013.
(05/016) JITEM case on the murder by unknown assailants in Cizre District…
On 5 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the Gendarmerie Intelligence and Fighting with Terrorism Department (JITEM) case against 7 defendants in connection with the 20 murder by unknown assailants during the period of Cizre Gendarmerie District Commarder Cemal Temizöz between 1993 and 1995. The court heard defendants Burhanettin Kıyak, Adem Yakın and Cemal Temizöz. The hearing was adjourned to hear Salih Candoruk brother of victim Ömer Candoruk to 5 July 2013.
(05/017) The case on the murder of Hrant Dink…
On 3 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 2 went on hearing the case against Ogün Samast who was a juvenile on the day of the murder on 19 January 2007 in connection with the murder of Hrant Dink after the amendment of the Anti-Terror Law in 2010 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC.
The court adjudicated to ask whether there is any information in the evaluations of Mobilisation Evaluation Board/Seferberlik Tetkik Kurulu on the murder or not and demand the documents in case of there is.
(05/018) Torture and ill-treatment in detention…
Nadir Çınar had been arrested by the anti-terror department in the street in İstanbul Province on 4 May 2013. His chin bone was fractured and he had bruises in his body due to torture in custody.
(05/019) Torture and ill-treatment in detention…
72 people who had been arrested in İstanbul Province on 1 May 2013 were released on 3 May 2013. They claimed that they were beaten in detention.
(05/020) Ongoing Torture and ill-treatment in detention case…
Adnan Yörür who attempted to protest the arrest of his friend Muammer Zeybek by police officers, was also arrested and beaten by 7 or 8 police officers in District Security Directorate in Bergama District of İzmir Province on 22 August 2012. The surveillance camera record on the incident revealed out on 10 October 2012.
The administrative investigation against the police officers was reportedly finalised on 4 May 2013.
Officers İ.E., T.G., G.Ö., N.İ., N.U. and M.K. were sentenced to stop of seniority for 12 months and polis officers E.Y., A.A. and M.K. who did nothing to stop the other officers to “forfeiture of pay” for one day.
Bergama Heavy Penal Court has been hearing the case against the 9 police officers on charges of torture, ill-treatment and wounding.
(05/021) Coercion in prison…
The Discipline Board of Silivri (İstanbul) L Type of Closed Prison No. 2 sentenced 91 prisoners to ban of communication for 237 months, ban of visit for 429 months and to solitary confinement for 386 days in total in connection with “participating in actions like hunger strikes” reported on 3 May 2013.
(05/022) Coercion in prison…
Lokman Coşkun (20) a pre-trial detainee in Tekirdağ F Type of Closed Prison No. 1 was beaten by the gendarmerie soldiers on the grounds that he shake hands with the other defendants of his case in the hearing in Çağlayan (İstanbul) Courthouse on 2 May 2013, reported on 5 May 2013.
(05/023) Coercion in prison…
Mehmet Kaplan a pre-trial detainee in Sivas E Type of Closed Prison was beten by the guardians in his dormitory on 26 April 2013, reported with Metin Kaplan’s letter on 5 May 2013.
(05/024) Coercion in prison…
Abdülhamit Babat sent a letter from Sincan (Ankara) F Type of Closed Prison No. 2 and stated that the health condition of prisoners Abdulsamet Çelik and İrfan Eskibağ is getting worse and prisoners Hasan Alkış, Burhan Kaya, Mensur Tekin, Mehmet Yalçın and Cengiz Eker have serious health issues reported on 5 May 2013.
(05/025) Tried person…
On 2 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 8 began to hear the case against Ali Narin (19) who had been arrested in Diyarbakır Province on 7 February 2013 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC, “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law and “having explosives”.
The court heard the legal argument of the defendant in Zaza language and the witness account of the two police officers. Although the accounts were contradicting with each other the court prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the defendant and adjourned the hearing to 11 July 2013.
(05/026) Hindered march in İstanbul Province…
Police teams hindered the march organised by the Federation of Dersim Associations from Taksim to Galatasaray Square to commemorate the Dersim Massacre in 1938, on the grounds that İstiklal Street had been closed to demonstrations by the decision of the Governorate, in İstanbul Province on 4 May 2013.
(05/027) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province …
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to march from Taksim to Galatasaray Square to protest the coercion over the members of Group Yorum, Yürüyüş Magazine, People’s Law Bureau, the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) with pressured water, tear gas and batons in İstanbul Province on 3 May 2013. The march was hindered and Nuri Cihanyandı was wounded.
(05/028) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the Hey Tekstil Workshop workers, who had been laid-off recently and who were demonstrating to support Dilan Alp –the daughter of one of the liad-off workers- who has been wounded with the hit of the gas bomb canister from her head in İstanbul Province on 1 May 2013, with pressured water and batons on 4 May 2013.
A person was wounded from his eye due to pressured water and hospitalised.
(05/029) Intervention to the commemoration in İstanbul Province …
Ten people were arrested in the intervention of the law-enforcement to the commemoration in the 41st anniversary of the execution of three revolutionary leaders Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin İnan and Yusuf Aslan in İstanbul Province on 5 May 2013.
07 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/030) Hate crime in İstanbul Province…
Kahraman Kaya (17) (from Çınar District of Diyarbakır Province) who had been stabbed by right-wingers in Ümraniye District of İstanbul Province on 22 April 2013, died in Ümraniye State Hospital on 5 May 2013.
(05/031) Soldier killed in Kırklareli Province…
Ümit Ünlü (21) who has been doing his compulsory military service in Mechanised Infantry Brigade Command No. 55 in Kırklareli Province allegedly committed suicide during his patrol in the morning 6 May.
(05/032) Work accident in Kayseri Province…
Four construction workers -Sezer Sırıklı (22), Mustafa Gözübüyük (27), Gazi Toy (36) and Yasem Yalnız (41)- were seriously wounded in the construction site in Kayseri Province on 6 May 2013.
(05/033) Armed attack on Armenian Church…
Unidentified people fired 7 rounds in front of the Surp Hovhannes Armenian Church in Gedikpaşa Quarter of Fatih District of İstanbul Province on 5 May 2013. G.M. (17) and M.E. (16) were arrested in connection with the incident.
(05/034) The use of tear gas by law enforcement…
Riot police officers interfered to the quarrel between the referee and İkitellispor’s football players (all the players were under 14 year-old) with tear gas during the football match between İkitellispor and Bursa Yolspor in Kütahya Province on 6 May 2013. Several juveniles were hospitalised after the intervention.
(05/035) Coercion in prison…
The families of the prisoners –including Abdullah Öcalan’s brother Mehmet Öcalan- in İmralı F Type of Closed Prison were not allowed the visit the prisoners on the grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order on 6 May 2013.
The families applied to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecution Office on 3 May 2013.
(05/036) Tried people…
Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against two public officials -F.Ş. and Z.E.Y- in connection with sharing news and caricatures on Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in facebook.com on charges of “insulting a public officer due to the performance of his public duty” under Article 125 of TPC, reported on 6 May 2013. The indictment will be evaluated by a penal court of first instance in Ankara.
(05/037) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Diyarbakır Province…
Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 175 defendants -98 of them are pre-trial detainees, 19 fugitives- who had been detained in the Koma Ciwaken Kurdistan-Kurdistan Communities League /Assembly of Turkey (KCK/TM), the KCK is the intend to organize the Kurdish people as an umbrella organization that includes Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), operations on 14 April, 11 and 17 June and 25 December 2009 on charges of “constituting an illegal structure and acting in the context of it” on 6 May 2013.
The court heard the defendants and the presentation of the evidences before adjourning the hearing.
(05/038) Intervention to the commemoration in İstanbul Province…
Five people were wounded and 10 others were arrested in the intervention of the law-enforcement to the commemoration in the 41st anniversary of the execution of three revolutionary leaders Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin İnan and Yusuf Aslan in İstanbul Province on 6 May 2013.
(05/039) Persons detained after the May Day…
Three people who had been arrested during the celebrations of May Day in İstanbul Province on 1 May 2013 were allegedly detained on charges of” 6 May 2013.
08 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/040) Work accident in Bursa Province…
Ümmet Eren (48) a worker in sand pit died due to an accident in İnegöl District of Bursa Province on 7 May 2013.
(05/041) Death in prison…
İrfan Eskibağ a prisoner with pancreas illness in Sincan (Ankara) f Type closed prison No. 2 died on 7 May 2013.
(05/042) Remnants found in Mardin Province…
In 2008 remnants of human beings were found in an area that allegedly people who were subjected to forced disappearance had been buried in Katarlı Village of Kızıltepe District of Mardin Province between 1993 and 1995 and they were sent to İstanbul Forensic Medicine Institute. The institute determined that the remnants were belonging to Şemsettin Yalçınkaya and kardeşi Nejat Yalçınkaya who had been detained in Kızıltepe District in 1995.
(05/043) Ongoing torture and ill-treatment in detention case…
F.C. (37) who had been beaten and arrested by the police teams on the grouds that she was not carrying her ID card in the music hall in front of her family in İzmir Province on 16 July 2011. She had been taken to Karabağlar Police Headquarters and she had been beaten and sexually harassed by police officers in plain clothes Hakan Yörük and Beyit Sezgin there. Other police officers did not interfere to their colleagues revealed out with the surveillance camera records on 9 December 2011.
The case against the physician A.K. who did not report the torture inflicted on F.C. and the police officers Ş.Ü. and C.İ. in the medical examination room on charges of “not reporting/informing the crime” and “misconduct in office” was commenced on 9 April 2013.
On 7 May 2013 İzmir Penal Court of Peace No. 10 heard the legal argument of the defendants and acquitted the defendants.
(05/044) Coercion in prison…
Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 7 May 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.
(05/045) Tired People…
On 7 May 2013 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 12 students – 5 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to Koma Ciwaken Kurdistan-Kurdistan Communities League /Assembly of Turkey (KCK/TM), the KCK is allegedly intended to organize the Kurdish people as an umbrella organization that includes Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), investigation in Adana Province on 2012 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC.
The court released pre-trial detainees Cevahir Ağralı, Fuat Taygar, Remziye Duman, Selma Polat and Rıdvan İmre after hearing the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 24 September 2013.
(05/046) Ongoing KCK Case in Batman…
On 6 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 9 began to hear the case against 32 defendants -26 pre-trial detainees and including Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Batman Province Chairperson Şeymus Azboy- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Batman Province in 2012.
The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants and presentations of the evidences also on 7 May 2013.
(05/047) Detained person…
Nadir Çınar who had been arrested in the street by Anti-Terror Department police officers in İstanbul Province on 4 May 2013 was detained on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation -Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C” and “providing arms to the illegal organisation” on 7 May 2013.
(05/048) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Independent youth Women ınitiative members Polen Ünlü and İrem Kırgı were beaten and detained in Çağlayan Courthouse to pull attention to the sexual harassment case in Denizli Province on 7 May 2013.
09 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/049) Clashes in universities…
Fecri Aydemir was severely stabbed from his abdomen in the attack of the right wingers on the Kurdish students of Uludağ University in Bursa Province on 8 May 2013.
(05/050) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to protest the coercion over the members of Group Yorum, Yürüyüş Magazine, People’s Law Bureau, the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) with pressured water, tear gas and batons in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul Province on 3 May 2013. The march was hindered and Nuri Cihanyandı was wounded. This was the thirteenth public statement but the officers claimed that the meetings in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse were banned by the governorate.
(05/051) Convicted pre-trial detainees…
On 8 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 sentenced pre-trial detainees Baysal Demirhan, Muhammet Akyol and Vedat Düşküner to 10 months of imprisonment each, in connection with their petition to demand the release of Abdullah Öcalan to Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison No. 2 and İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 16 on 15 March 2012 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.
(05/052) Ongoing KCK Case in Van Province…
On 7 May 2013 Van Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 13 defendants who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Erciş District of Van Province on 15 May 2012.
The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants in Kurdish and released Abdurrahman Çağan, Mahmut Çelebi and Mehmet Sıddık Geçer due to their health issues and adjourned the hearing to 9 July 2013.
(05/053) Ongoing DHKP/C investigation in İstanbul Province…
Fifty-five out of the 81 people who had been arrested in the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) investigation in several provinces on 18 January 2013, were detained.
The first indictment was prepared against 30 people -18 pre-trial detainees- reported on 8 May 2013. The indictment was sent to İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 to be evaluated.
(05/054) Ongoing KCK Case in Batman Province…
On 8 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 9 began to hear the case against 32 defendants -26 pre-trial detainees and including Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Batman Province Chairperson Şeymus Azboy- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Batman Province in 2012.
The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants and presentations of the evidences also on 8 May 2013 and released pre-trial detainees Bedri Can, Ekrem Değirmenci, Mehmet Söner, Hacire Çetin, Mehmet Şehit İnan, Hasan Aydın, Şeyhmus Arslan, Zeynep Tuluk Timur. The next hearing will be on 22 July 2013.
10 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/055) Detained person…
Hatice Yaşar, former editor of the Ala Rizgari Magazine had to leave Turkey 33 years ago and arrested as soon as she returned back to Turkey in Esenboğa airport (Ankara) on 8 May 2013.
A caught warranty had been issued against Hatice Yaşar on charges of being a member of armed illegal organisation on 5 October 2012. Ankara Judicature No. 3 (Authorised by the Article 10 of the ATL) issued travel detention and Hatice Yaşar was transferred to Sincan Kadın Prison. Hatice Yaşar was sent to Istanbul for the investigation on 9 May 2013.
(05/056) Coercion in prison…
Hülya Gerçek, Gamze Eroğlu and Fadime Özkan were gathered to benefit from their right to chat in Gebze (Kocaeli) Prison for Females. The administration attempted to record the meeting and the prisoners were beaten and taken to their dormitories on the grounds that they objected to be recorded, reported on 9 May 2013.
(05/057) Coercion in prison…
Fesih Nardan was beaten by the guardians on the grounds that he objected to be searched before the table visit in Kandıra (Kocaeli) T Type of Closed Prison No.1 on 9 May 2013.
(05/058) Coercion in prison…
Mert Toka, Gökhan Çoban and Binali Çelik were beaten by the guardians on the grounds that they protested the administration with banging the doors in Kırıklar (İzmir) F Type of Closed Prison No. 2 on 9 May 2013.
(05/059) Coercion in prison…
Sadun Doğan (55) pre-trial detainee in last three years in Osmaniye T Type of Closed Prison was not released although his two of cardiac valves were not functioning and his transfer to the hospital was delayed three months on reported on 10 May 2013.
(05/060) Intervention to the action in Bolu Province…
Police teams interfered to the group that would like to celebrate the birthday of Salih Mirzabeyoğlu, the leader of the pro-sharia İBDA-C, by gathering in front of Bolu F Type of Closed Prison, and arrested 20 people on 9 May 2013.
11-13 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/061) Bomb attacks in Hatay Province…
Two bombs inside vehicles were detonated in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013, killing 50 and wounding 155 people -26 of them in terminal conditions. The first one exploded in front of the municipality and the second one exploded ten minutes after the first one in front of the post office which is only 600 metres away from the municipality.
No one took the responsibility of the attack but the government claimed that intelligence services affiliated to Syrian government could done the attacks. Meanwhile 9 Turkish citizens were allegedly arrested in connection with the attack.
Racist attacks against the Syrian refugees took place after the attacks.
On 12 May 2013 Reyhanlı Penal Court of Peace adjudicated to ban the publication on the attack.
(05/062) Intervention to the protest against the government…
Seven members of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), were beaten and arrested as the protested Nabi Avcı, the Minister of National Education, who came to Eskişehir Province on 11 May 2013 in order to participate in the meeting “the restructuring of junior high schools”.
(05/063) Racist attack on the Kurdish workers in Erzurum Province…
Two kurdish seasonal workers who came from Çınar District of Diyarbakır Province to Narman District of Erzurum Province were subjected to lynch attempt by a racist group on the grounds that they listened Kurdish music on 10 May 2013. Twenty-one Kurdish workers had to leave the district after the incident.
(05/064) Racist attack on Kurdish students in Trabzon Province…
A student of Karadeniz Teknik University was beaten by racists on the grounds that he talked in Kurdish in the student dormitory in Trabzon Province on 10 May 2013.
(05/065) Tear gas use by law enforcement…
Police teams interfered with tear gas to the fans of Beşiktaş Football Team after motorised police teams fired their handguns into the air in Dolmabahçe Quarter of İstanbul Province on 11 May 2013. Several people were hospitalised due to excessive use of tear gas.
(05/066) Hindered march in İstanbul Province…
Law enforcement hindered the march of Hava-İş Trade Union in İstanbul Province on 11 May 2013 before the strike in Turkish airlines on 15 May 2013 on the grounds that İstiklal Street was closed to demonstrations by the governorate.
(05/067) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to protest the coercion over the members of Group Yorum, Yürüyüş Magazine, People’s Law Bureau, the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) with pressured water, tear gas and batons in Taksim Square in İstanbul Province on 10 May 2013.
(05/068) finalised KCK Case in Tunceli Province…
On 10 May 2013 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 7 sentenced Municipality assembly member Nurcan Kasun, Municipality worker Hasan Yıldırım and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) member Ayhan Çelik to 9 years of imprisonment on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law; Municipality worker Ali Kamer Yıldırım, BDP members Zarife Taçyıldız and İbrahim Yıldırım to 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC; BDP member Necla Kılıç to 5 years of imprisonment with the charge. Six pre-trial detainees were released after the verdict.
Seven people had been subjected to KCK investigation in Tunceli Province on 2 May 2012 and six of them were detained.
(05/069) Racist attack in İstanbul Province…
Two Kurdish Vahab Ayhan (28) and Gökçe Ölçer (29) were attacked by three people in Beyoğlu District of İstanbul Province on 8 May 2013. The perpetrators allegedly cried death to Kurds while attacking on the victims with sticks. Victims were wounded from their legs and hands and their things were usurped.
(05/070) Work accident in Manisa Province…
Bayram Yıldız (16) who has been working in a chicken firm was seriously wounded after falling into the boiler that was used for washing chickens in Manisa Province on 11 May 2013.
(05/071) Work accident in Konya Province…
Hüseyin Şahbaz (43) died after falling from the fourth floor of the building he has been working in in Akşehir District of Konya Province on 10 May 2013.
(05/073) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Diyarbakır Province…
Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 175 defendants -98 of them are pre-trial detainees, 19 fugitives- who had been detained in the Koma Ciwaken Kurdistan-Kurdistan Communities League /Assembly of Turkey (KCK/TM), the KCK is the intend to organize the Kurdish people as an umbrella organization that includes Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), operations on 14 April, 11 and 17 June and 25 December 2009 on charges of “constituting an illegal structure and acting in the context of it” on 10 May 2013.
The court heard the defendants and the presentation of the evidences before adjourning the hearing to 13 May 2013.
(05/074) Explosion in Diyarbakır Province…
Five juveniles were wounded with the explosion of the thing they had found ni the dust bin in Seyrantepe Quarter of Diyarbakır Province on 12 May 2013.
(05/075) Racist attack in Kars Province…
A Kurdish student from Kafkas University was stabbed by right-wingers in Kars Province on 13 May 2013.
(05/076) Juvenile killed with the hit of army vehicle…
Abit Savcı (12) was killed with the hit of the vehicle of Gendarmerie’s Crime Scene Investigation team while he was riding his bicycle in Anamur District of Mersin Province on 12 May 2013.
14-15 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/077) Intervention to the protest in Kocaeli Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the Labour and Democracy Platform with pressured water who attempted to protest the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 in Kocaeli Province on 13 May 2013 and arrested 16 people.
(05/078) Convicted people…
On 13 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 9 began to hear the case against the chairperson of the Health and Social Services Workers’ Trade Union (SES) Çetin Erdolu, the General Financial Secretary of the Education and Science Workers Trade Union (Egitim-Sen) Abdullah Karahan, former executive of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Yıldız Aktaş and the BDP member Dilovan Arslan in connection with making victory signs over the BDP’s bus during the celebration of Newroz in Diyarbakır Province in 2012. The court sentenced them to 4 years and 7 months of imprisonment each on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC and “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.
(05/079) Juvenile wounded with the hit of the police vehicle…
A.Ö. (4) was wounded with the hit of the armoured police vehicle named as Akrep (Scorpion) which was speeding in Diyarbakır Province on 13 May 2013.
(05/080) Hindered to the march in İstanbul Province…
Police teams hindered the march of the Emekli-Sen (Trade Union of the Retired Workers) from Taksim Tramway Station to Galatasaray Post Office to post their petition to ECtHR in İstanbul Province on 12 May 2013.
(05/081) Extra-judicial killing attempt in Antalya…
Sezer Toptaş was wounded with police fire on the grounds that he did not obey the stop warning as he was riding his bike to participate the celebration for his military service in Antalya Province on 10 May 2013.
(05/082) Tried person…
On 13 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 began to hear the case against Berfin Yağmur (20) who had been detained in the raid on a picnic in İstanbul Province in 2012 on the grounds that her clothes were similar to those of the perpetrators of the bomb attack on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “using explosives”. The court heard the legal argument of the defendant and released her.
(05/083) Intervention to the protest against prime minister…
Police teams interfered to the members of the Labour Youth who attempted to protest the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 in the opening ceremony of the new building of Türkiye Ziraat Odaları Birliği with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara Province on 13 May 2013 and arrested 4 people.
(05/084) Suspicious death of a soldier in Şırnak Province…
A soldier who has been doing his compulsory military service in Ballı Brigaste situated in Şırnak Province allegedly committed suicide on 12 May 2013.
(05/085) Intervention to the protest in Adana Province…
Police teams hindered the protest against the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 by in Adana province on 14 May 2013.
(05/087) Extra-judicial killing in Balıkesir Province…
Police officer Hüseyin Akdağ (45) killed his daughter’s boyfriend Tuğrul Cimli (17) with his firearm in Ayvalık District of Balıkesir Province on 14 May 2013.
(05/088) Extra-judicial killing attempt in Diyarbakır Province…
Kamuran Özkan was wounded with police fire on the grounds that the car that she was inside did not obey the stop warning in Silvan District of Diyarbakır Province on 14 May 2013.
(05/089) Bomb attack in Hatay province…
On 15 May 2013 the death toll became 51 in the explosions in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013.
After the bomb attacks Syrian refugees began to return their countries due to racist attacks in the district. Thirteen people were arrested in connection with the attacks.
(05/090) Coercion in prison…
Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 14 May 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.
16 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/091) Ongoing KCK Case in Şırnak Province…
On 13 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 7 went on hearing the case against 90 defendants -29 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Cizre District of Şırnak Province and detained on charges of being a member of the KCK City Assembly. The court prolonged the pre-trial detention process of the defendants after hearing their demands and adjourned the hearing to 24 June 2013.
(05/092) Coercion in prison…
Lamia Asu a citizen of Syria who have been in Şakran (İzmir) Closed Prison for Females from the PKK case was not allowed to have visitors and she could only meet with her lawyertwo times last year reported on 15 May 2013.
(05/093) Arrested students in Kars Province…
On 15 May 2013 Police teams raided on the Kafkas University Patriotic Students Association (KA-YÖDER) and detained 20 students after the clashes between to opposite student groups in Kafkas University (Kars) on 14 May 2013.
(05/094) Released prisoner…
Özgür Karagöz, a cancer patient who could not use 86% of his body and transferred from Diyarbakır D Type of Closed Prison to Metris T Tipi Type of Closed Prison No.2 for his medical treatment, was released after the application of his lawyers to the court he has been tried on 15 May 2013.
(05/095) Intervention to the protest İstanbul…
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to protest the coercion over the members of Group Yorum, Yürüyüş Magazine, People’s Law Bureau, the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) with pressured water, tear gas and batons in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul Province on 15 May 2013.
(05/096) Bomb attack in Hatay Province…
The ban of publication decision on the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 was removed by Hatay Heavy Penal Court No. 1 on 15 May 2013. Four people were detained in connection with the incident.
(05/097) Ongoing case on the operation on prisons…
On 15 May 2013 Bakırköy Heavy Penal Court No. 13 went on hearing the case against 39 former soldiers from Elazığ Gendarmerie Command in connection with the “Return to Life” Operation’s Bayrampaşa Prison (İstanbul) branch. The court adjudicated to hear Aytaç Yalman, retired full general and former chairperson of the Gendarmerie General Command and Zeki Bingöl ans witnesses.
The “Return to Life” Operation had been conducted in 20 prisons on 19 December 2000 resulted with the murder of 32 people.
(05/098) Intervention to the protest in Ankara Province…
Police teams interfered to the students of Ankara University who attempted to protest the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 by marching from Cebeci Campus of Ankara University to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara Province on 15 May 2013 and arrested 29 people. Five students also wounded in the intervention.
Two students were wounded from their heads with the hit of the gas bomb canisters in the ODTÜ Branch of the march.
(05/099) Ongoing KCK Case in Ağrı Province…
On 15 May 2013 Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 16 defendants -4 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Doğubayazıt District of Ağrı Province on 3 December 2011 and detained on charges of being a member of the KCK/TM.
The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants in Kurdish and Turkish and released all pre-trial detainees before adjourning the hearing.
(05/100) Intervention to the celebration in Ağrı Province…
Police teams and private security officers interfered to the Kurdish language feast in İbrahim Çeçen University in Ağrı Province and wounded a student on 15 May 2013.
(05/101) The case on the murder of Hrant Dink…
On 15 May 2013 The Supreme Court of Appeal’s Penal Chamber No. 9 annulled the verdict against 18 defendant who had been convicted on charges of “being a member of an armed organisation” and stated that the defendants should be tried on charges of “being a member of an organisation founded to commit crime” under Article 220 of the TPC.
(05/102) Ongoing DHKP/C investigation in İstanbul Province…
Fifty-five out of the 81 people who had been arrested in the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) investigation in several provinces on 18 January 2013, were detained.
The first indictment was prepared against 30 people -18 pre-trial detainees- reported on 8 May 2013. İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 accepted the indictment against 30 people on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law on 15 May 2013.
17 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/103) Tried people…
On 16 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 sentenced Melis Ciddioğlu, Cemray Baş, Seçkin Aydoğan, Gürkan Türkoğlu, Eser Morsümbül and Hazal Kaya to 6 years and 15 days of imprisonment each on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “resisting officers on duty”; The pre-trial detainees -Seçkin Aydoğan, Cemray Baş and Melis Çitlioğlu- were released after the verdict.
They had been detained after the operation in Nurtepe Quarter of Kâğıthane District of İstanbul Province on 13 December 2011.
(05/104) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the protest against the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 in İstanbul Province on 16 May 2013. Two students were wounded in the intervention.
(05/105) Ongoing KCK Case in Malatya Province…
On 13 May 2013 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 11 defendants -7 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Malatya Province on 19 June 2012 and detained on charges of being a member of the KCK on 22 June 2012.
The court heard the defendants in Kurdish and Turkish and prolonged the pre-trial detention process of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 7 June 2013.
(05/106) work accident in Şırnak Province…
Four workers were wounded during the land collapse in the coal mine in Şırnak Province on 16 May 2013.
(05/107) Intervention to the protest in Edirne Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP),who attempted to protest the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 in front of the AKP building in Edirne Province on 16 May 2013 and arrested 5 people.
(05/108) Ongoing case on torture and ill-treatment in detention…
Murat Şalcı (24), Mervan Kurt (35) and Ahmet Usal (31) from Şırnak Province were beaten and detained by police officers in Beyoğlu District of İstanbul Province on 6 June 2012. Three people who had been taken to Taksim Police Station were beaten with their hands cuffed in the fourth floor of the building. So that Murat Şalcı was hospitalised due to cerebral haemorrhage reported on 11 June 2012.
According to the report of the police officers the three people hit the officers swearing and Ahmet Şalcı “harmed himself by hitting his head to the ground”.
On 16 May 2013 İstanbul Penal Court of Peace No. 8 went on hearing the case against the three victims which was launched with the complaint of officers on charges of “intentionally wounding” and insulting”. The p0olice officers claimed that Murat Şalcı hit his head to the wall and they hindered him who had a cerebral haemorrhage after the incident.
The victims claimed that they were not informed about the case so they could not participate in the first hearing. Because of this claim the tension aroused and the court adjourned the hearing to 10 September 2013.
(05/109) work accident in İstanbul Province…
Ali Yakar died in the explosion as he was joint welding in the Tersan Ship Construction Site in the docks in Tuzla District of İstanbul Province on 17 May 2013.
(05/110) Intervention to the protest in İzmir Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of Students’ Collectives who attempted to protest the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 in Basmane Quarter of İzmir Province on 16 May 2013 and arrested 27 people.
18-20 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/111) Suspicious death of soldiers in Kırıkkale Province…
Hüseyin Çardak (21) who had been a gendarmerie soldier, was found death in the sentry in Hacılar F Type of Closed Prison in Kırıkkale Province on 18 May 2013.
(05/112) Suspicious death of soldiers in Mardin Province…
E.Y. (21) was killed with the bullet fired from the rifle of M.S. (21) as they were allegedly joking in the sentry in Midyat District of Mardin Province on 19 May 2013.
(05/113) The case on the extra-judicial killing of Cem Aygün…
Cem Aygün (22) was shot death from the back of his neck on the grounds that he did not obey the stop warning as he was driving car in Keçiören District of Ankara Province on 30 August 2012. He had been sentenced to 13 months of imprisonment and he had to give signature to the Police Station every day. Police officer claimed that he had collapsed and his firearm had fired.
Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office had decided nolle prosequi for police officer O.H. and for police officer Fatih Yılmaz had asked 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment on charges of “homicide with excessive use of force without intention and with reasons that annul penal responsibility”.
On 17 May 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against police officer Fatih Yılmaz. The defendant claimed that “I fired my firearm aiming Cem Aygün’s leg in order to stop him”. Mustafa Sarı, the witness of the incident, claimed that the officer fired not aiming to his leg but his back.
The court had declined the demand of the Türkiye İnsan Hakları Vakfı (TİHV) to be the intervening party in the previous hearing. The hearing was adjourned to 20 June 2013.
(05/114) Bomb attack in Hatay Province…
On 17 May 2013 three others were detained in connection with the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013.
(05/116) Tear gas use of law enforcement…
Y.Y. who would like to be taken to Elazığ Mental Hospital, was resisted to the police officers and the officers broke the windows and threw gas bombs inside his house to pacify him in Malatya Province on 16 May 2013.
(05/117) Tried lawyers…
On 17 May 2013 Silivri Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 began to hear the case against the chairperson and the executive board members of the İstanbul Bar Association -Ümit Kocasakal ve yönetim kurulu üyeleri Hasan Kılıç, Mehmet Durakoğlu, Başar Yatlı, Turgay Demirci, Hüseyin Özbek, Ayşe Füsun Dikmenli, Ufuk Özkap, İsmail Altay and Aydeniz Alisbah Tuksan- in connection with their critic on the hearing of the Sledgehammer/Balyoz Case on 26 March 2012 on charges of “trying to influence the fair trial” under Article 288 of TPC
The hearing was adjourned to 12 October 2013 on the grounds that the court room was insufficient.
(05/118) Closure case against associations…
On 17 May 2013 Van Penal Court of First Instance No. 3 went on hearing the closure case against 10 associations -Mezopotamya Yakınlarını Kaybeden Ailelerle Yardımlaşma ve Dayanışma Derneği (MEYA-DER), Tutuklu ve Hükümlü Yakınları Demokratik Hukuk ve Yardımlaşma Derneği (TUYAD-DER), Van Göç Sorunlarını Bilimsel Araştırma ve Kültür Derneği (Van GÖÇ-DER), Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Öğrenci Derneği (YÖDER), Van Kadın Derneği (VAKAD), Van Hacıbekir Mahallesi Özgür Yurttaş Derneği, Seyit Fehim Arvasi Mahallesi Özgür Toplum Derneği, Yeni Mahalle Özgür Halk Derneği, Kürt Dili Araştırma ve Geliştirme Derneği (KURDİ-DER) Van Branch and Akköprü Mahallesi Demokratik Halk Derneği on charges of “helping illegal organisation -PKK”.
The court adjudicated to decline the closure case.
(05/119) Ongoing KCK Case in Tunceli Province…
On 16 May 2013 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 13 defendants -6 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to Tunceli Province on 11 December 2012. The court prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the defendants after hearing their legal arguments till 10 June 2013.
(05/120) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Diyarbakır Province…
On 16 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 27 defendants -6 of them are pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in the Koma Ciwaken Kurdistan-Kurdistan Communities League /Assembly of Turkey (KCK/TM), the KCK is the intend to organize the Kurdish people as an umbrella organization that includes Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), operations on the grounds that they lectured in the Political Academia of the Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Kayapınar District (of Diyarbakır Province) Branch.
The court heard the defendants and the presentation of the evidences before adjourning the hearing to 13 May 2013.
Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 31 July. 2013
(05/121) Ongoing MLKP Case…
On 17 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22 went on hearing the case against 7 defendants -5 of them are pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in the framework of Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) operation, in the raids on Atılım Newspaper and on Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) -Ersin Sedefoğlu, Görgü Demirpençe, Gökben Keskin, Özlem Cihan, Fırat Şeran, Ali Haydar Keleş and Ali Gülmez- in İstanbul Province on 21 June 2012.
The court prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the defendants after hearing them and adjourned the hearing to 3 October 2013.
(05/122) Arrested singer…
Singer Hozan Cömert who came to Turkey on 17 May 2013 to attend the concert of the Federation of Democratic Student Associations (DÖDEF) which will take place on 18 May 2013, was arrested in the airport. He was extradited after he was interrogated by prosecutors.
(05/123) Intervention to the Protest in Eskişehir Province…
Police teams interfered to the protestors as they attempted to protest the bomb attack which resulted with the murder of 52 people in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013, with tear gas and pressured water in Eskişehir Province on 17 May 2013.
(05/124) Intervention to the Protest in Hatay Province…
Police teams interfered to the protestors as they were protesting the bomb attack which resulted with the murder of 52 people in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013, with tear gas and pressured water in the scene of incident on 18 May 2013.
(05/125) Intervention to the Protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to march to Taksim Square to commemorate İbrahim Kaypakkaya who had been killed with torture in detention on 18 May 1973, with tear gas, plastic bullets and pressured water in İstanbul Province on 18 May 2013.
(05/126) Intervention to the Protest in Ankara Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the People’s House/Halkevleri as they were protesting the bomb attack which resulted with the murder of 52 people in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013, with tear gas and pressured water in Ankara Province on 18 May 2013. Four people were wounded, 10 others were arrested in the intervention.
21 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/127) Exhumation for the forced disappearances in Mardin Province…
No one knows the whereabouts of Abdulvahap Ateş who had been arrested by officers from Kızıltepe Gendarmerie Command in Kırkkuyu Village of Kızıltepe District of Mardin Province on 14 June 1994; Mehmet Emin Abak who had been arrested in the entrance of Eroğlu Vllage on 14 January 1995; Yusuf Tunç who had been arrested by masked persons in Kengerli Village in February 1994.
Kızıltepe Chief Public Prosecution Office that has been investigation the fate of the three persons who had been subjected to forced disappearance in detention, decided to excavate the water wells in the vicinity of Tilzerin (Aysun) Village after the witness accounts. Excavations began on 21 May 2013.
(05/128) Hate crime in İstanbul Province…
While Physical and verbal attacks on the trans persons living in Meis Site in Avcılar District of İstanbul Province were going on, Sanem Toraman stated that unidentified people opened fire to her house on 19 May and 20 May 2013.
(05/129) Convicted persons…
On 20 May 2013 İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 10 finalised the case against 7 defendants –five pre-trial detainees who had been tried in connection with participating in the protests such as Roboski Massacre etc. in Ortaklar Municipality of Germencik District of Aydın Province and sentenced Ahmet Batur, Erdin Baran, Muhammet Kızılay, Osman Tekin, Ramazan Atabey and Hüseyin Kurt to 37 years and 25 days of imprisonment each on charges of “acting on behalf of an illegal organisation”, “harming public goods”, “resisting police officer on duty”, “burning flag”, “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law. Defendant M.A. was acquitted.
(05/130) Finalised KCK Case in Iğdır Province…
On 20 May 2013 Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No. 4 finalised the case against 15 defendants who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Iğdır Province on 26 November 2012 and sentenced Orhan Artuç and Ferzende Abay to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment each on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC. The other 13 defendants were acquitted in the case.
(05/131) Bomb attack in Hatay Province…
On 20 May 2013 five others were detained in connection with the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013. The number of detainees became 12 in connection with the incident.
(05/132) Intervention to the Protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) who tried to erect a tent to protest the Forensic Medicine Institute on the grounds that the institute did not prepare the medical report for Mete Diş a terminal cancer patient who has been in prison, in front of the institute in İstanbul Province on 20 May 2013.
(05/133) Intervention to the Protest in Kırklareli Province…
Police teams interfered to the protestors as they were protesting the bomb attack which resulted with the murder of 52 people in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013, with tear gas and pressured water in front of the Justice and Development Party’s Province branch office in Kırklareli Province on 20 May 2013. Eleven people were arrested in the intervention.
22-27 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/134) Raped people in prison…
A person who was released from Antalya L Type of Closed Prison stated on 25 May 2013 that M.L.B. and S.Ö. who had been transferred from Pozantı Prison for Juveniles were raped several times first in the juveniles’ and then in the adults’ dormitory.
(05/135) Work accident in Kayseri Province…
Kenan Kütük (22) who fell from the 2nd floor of the apartment under-construction died in Melikgazi District of Kayseri Province on 24 May 2013.
(05/136) Tried people…
Six out of the seven people -Umut Şener, Halil Top, Dursun Turna, Gözde Erdal, Hüseyin Teke and Ender Özçiftçi- who had been arrested in home homes of the polis teams in Çorum Province on 27 April 2012 were detained on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation -Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C)” under Article 314 of TPC on 1 May 2012.
After the operation an investigation against 16 people was launched by Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office. As evidences a necklace with hammer and sickle, and posters of Deniz Gezmiş were shown.
On 21 May 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 11 heard the legal arguments of the defendants and released Umut Şener.
(05/137) Explosion in Hakkâri Province …
Muğdat Çavmak (14) was killed in the explosion of the landmine as he was going to harvest his beet field in Bostancık Village of Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 24 May 2013.
(05/138) Conviction for torture and ill-treatment in prison…
On 25 May 2013 Isparta Heavy Penal Court sentenced Y.A. and K.A. to 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment in connection with torturing Mustafa Dabaz in Isparta Martial Prison in 2004. The court also made official complaint against the executives of the prison in the time of the incident.
(05/139) Arrested people…
Socialist Youth Association (SGD) members Ali Aykul and Gülçin Aykul were called to the security directorate “to chat” in Tokat Province on 25 May 2013. They were arrested and interrogated and then released from the prosecutor’s office.
(05/140) Tried people…
Polis teams had interfered to the action to support the hunger strikes in prison in Pamukkale University (Denizli) and arrested 111 students on 2 November 2012 and they were released later. Denizli Chief Public Prosecution Office objected to the decision and 6 students were detained on 17 November 2012.
On 24 May 2013 İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 12 went on hearing the case against 78 defendants -28 pre-trial detainees- on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC, “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law, “resisting public officers due to his duty” and “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”.
The Court heard the legal arguments of the defendants in Kurdish and released all pre-trial detainees before adjourning the hearing to12 July 2013.
(05/141) Coercion in prison…
Edip Toksoy a prisoner in Şakran (İzmir) T Type of Closed Prison No. 3 who could not use 80% of his body was not released although he had executed his sentence a month ago due to his discipline sentences. He has been kept in solitary confinement and he has been making hunger strike reported on 24 May 2013.
(05/142) Coercion in prison…
On 24 May 2013 twelve pre-trial detainees and convicts from the PKK Case in Van F Type of Closed Prison decided to join the hunger strike to protest the torture and ill-treatment in prison that had commenced on 13 May 2013. The number of strikers became 24.
(05/143) Attack on Kurdish students in Burdur Province…
Right-wingers attacked on the students who attempted to visit their friend in hospital who had been wounded by right-wingers in Burdur Province on 23 May 2013. The police teams interfered the incident, arrested 25 students and wounded 3 others.
(05/144) Coercion in prison…
Taylan Çintay (36) who had been transferred from Diyarbakır E Type of Closed Prison to Sincan (Ankara) F Type of Closed Prison No. 2 for his medical treatment (cancer), had an operation in Numune Training and Survey Hospital on 19 May 2013. On 20 May 2013 he was sent back to the prison from hospital and beaten by the guardians on the grounds that he did not accept the cavity search reported on 24 May 2013.
He was carried to Emergency Service due to the torture. An investigation was launched against Taylan Çintay on the grounds that “he wounded himself by hitting himself to the wall”.
(05/145) Ongoing Hate Murder Case in Diyarbakır Province…
On 24 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 3 went on hearing the case against the perpetrators (the father M.Ç., and the two uncles of the victim Ş.Ç. and A.Ç.) of the murder of R.Ç. (17) in Diyarbakır Province on June 2012 on the grounds that he was a homosexual. Meanwhile the prosecutor of the case was changed.
In the hearing the father M.Ç., confessed that he murdered his son R.Ç. by himself. After the account of M.Ç., deceased R.Ç.’s brother stated that his father was not alone and he was with his uncles. The court adjourned the hearing to 28 June 2013.
(05/146) Torture and ill-treatment in detention…
On 22 May 2013 two soldiers from Amasya Gendarmerie Command were arrested and tortured in connection with leaking the intelligence documents concerning the bomb attack in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013 to the Redhack hacker group. The documents link the attack with the jihadist Al-Nusra.
(05/147) Released person…
Mete Diş a prisoner and a cancer patient in Kandıra F Type of Closed Prison No. 1 was released by İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 12 on 24 May 2013.
(05/148) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province …
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to protest the coercion over the members of Group Yorum, Yürüyüş Magazine, People’s Law Bureau, the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) with pressured water, tear gas and batons in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul Province on 24 May 2013.
(05/149) Metin Lokumcu Case…
On 20 May 2013 Ankara Administrative Court No. 4 went on hearing the reparation case that was launched by the family Metin Lokumcu after the murder of him with excessive use of gas bombs in the protest against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Hopa District of Artvin Province on 31 May 2011. The family demanded 415,000 TL.
The court adjourned the hearing to pronounce its verdict after hearing both sides.
(05/150) Explosion in Hakkâri Province …
İbrahim Kartal (17) was seriously wounded with the explosion of the object he found in the vicinity of Yeşiltaş Village of Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 20 May 2013.
(05/151) Convicted Student…
On 23 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 sentenced Emine Akman, Marmara University student, to 7 years 3 months and 21 days of imprisonment in connection with the incident after a group that covered their faces with head scarfs threw petrol bomb to a market in İstanbul Province on 14 August 2011 on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC
The court also made an official complaint against writer Özgür Mumcu in connection with his article “No Peace for Emine Akman” published in Radikal Newspaper.
(05/152) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…
Police officers in plain clothes hindered the Kurdish music group Koma Se Bira to perform in İstiklal Street in İstanbul Province on 23 May 2013. A person objected to the officers and he was detained.
(05/153) Tried person…
On 22 May 2013 İstanbul Penal Court of Peace No. 14 sentenced Sevan Nişanyan to 12 months and 45 days of imprisonment in connection with his article titled “Hate Crimes should be struggled” he published in his website (http://nisanyan1.blogspot.com) on charges of “insulting the religious values that a sect of the society is acknowledged” under Article 216 of the TPC. The court decided not to postpone the sentence.
(05/154) Convicted executive of the newspaper…
On 20 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 sentenced editor-in-chief of the weekly Demokratik Ulus Newspaper Arafat Dayan 5 years and 10 months of imprisonment in connection with the news published in 7 issues of the newspaper on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.
(05/155) Coercion in prison…
Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 23 May 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.
(05/156) Coercion in prison…
Hakan Yıkıcı was beaten by the guardians in his dormitory in Giresun E Type of Closed Prison so that he fainted on 30 April 2013 and he was hospitalised on 2 May 2013 reported on 22 May 2013.
(05/157) Tried people…
On 23 May 2013 Van Heavy Penal Court No. went on hearing the case against Sedat Karadağ and sentenced him to 26 years and 3 months of imprisonment and a fine of 30000 TL on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “organising actions on behalf of illegal organisation.
Democratic Patriotic Youth Assembly (YDGM) Spokesperson Sedat Karadağ had been wounded with gendarmerie fire in Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 10 December 2010 and he was detained in the hospital.
(05/158) Tried people…
Temporary village guards had attacked on the Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Bingöl Province Branch after the murder of their colleague on 21 September 2012. The BDP members protested the attack with a public statement and police teams interfered to the protestors and a case was launched against the members.
On 23 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 8 began to hear the case against 24 defendants -11 pre-trial detainees on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC, “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law, 1having explosives”.
The court heard the defendants in their mother tongue and released Aziz Kaya, Yunus Bulut, Fesih Beritan, Yılmaz Kılıç and Abdulvahap Busulday before adjourning the hearing to 18 July 2013.
(05/159) Coercion in prison…
Three women were beaten and wounded on the grounds that they had objected to the cavity search in the dormitory in Şakran (İzmir) Prison for Females on 23 May 2013.
(05/160) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to 15 women who gathered to protest the bombing in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 May 2013, with gas bombs, batons and pressured water in İstanbul Province on 23 May 2013.
(05/161) Convicted person…
On 22 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 8 sentenced Azadiya Welat Newspaper’s former editor-in-chief İbrahim Güvenç to 10 years 3 months 22 days of imprisonment and a fine of 16.500 TL in connection with 17 different news published in 2012 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.
(05/162) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) who tried to erect a tent to protest the Forensic Medicine Institute on the grounds that the institute did not prepare the medical report for Mete Diş a terminal cancer patient who has been in prison, in front of the institute in İstanbul Province on 22 May 2013.
(05/164) Tried people…
On 21 May 2013 Mersin Penal Court of First Instance went on hearing the case against 108 students of Mersin University in connection with the public statement to protest the attacks of right wingers in Mersin University 3 May 2012 on charges of “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”, “hindering education” and “intentionally wounding”. The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 4 October 2013.
(05/165) Torture and ill-treatment in detention…
Three students -Dara Aydın, Murat Dallı and Serhat Emen- who had been detained on 22 May 2013 after the fight of the two opposite groups in Harran University (Şanlıurfa) on 21 May 2013, stated that they were tortured in detention.
(05/166) Convicted person…
On 21 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 12 sentenced journalist Necati Abay to 11 years and 3 months of imprisonment on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC on the grounds that “the idea (that he was a member) was shaped although there is no evidence”.
Abay is the representative of the Solidarity platform for the Pre-Trial Detainee Journalists (TGDP) and this is his second conviction. The first one was crashed by The Supreme Court of Appeal’s Penal Chamber No. 9.
(05/167) Investigated people…
On 25 May 2013 Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against 126 protestors who had participate in the protest against the draft law in Ankara Province on 3 March 2011. The 126 protestors were charged with “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”, “resisting public officers due to his duty”, “harming public goods”.
(05/168) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams beat and arrest three members of the Bağımsız Devrimci Sınıf Platformu who hanged a placard to protest the ban of Taksim Square and İstiklal Street to peaceful assemblies in İstanbul Province on 26 May 2013. (05/169) Convicted people…
On 9 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 9 sentenced 15 defendants to 3 years one month and 15 days of imprisonment each in connection with throwing stones to law enforcement in demonstration in İdil District of Şırnak Province on 15 February 2012 on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC.
(05/170) Death in prison…
Gürgün Kurt (63) a prisoner in Ahlat (Bitlis) K-1 Type of Closed Prison died after he had cerebral haemorrhage on 22 May 2013. He was paralysed before and could not use 50% of his body. He was not released despite the calls of the NGOs.
(05/171) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province …
Police teams interfered to the group that attempted to protest the coercion over the members of Group Yorum, Yürüyüş Magazine, People’s Law Bureau, the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) with pressured water, tear gas and batons in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul Province on 25 May 2013.
(05/172) Person beaten in the protest against the prime minister…
A person who protested the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who visited Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 25 May 2013 after the bomb attack on 11 May 2013.
(05/173) Home raids in Şanlıurfa Province…
Five people including Ekrem Polatsoy, vice mayor from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Suruç District of Şanlıurfa Province on 26 May 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of arrests.
28 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/174) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…
Police teams interfered to the incidents during the basketball match between Yeşilgiresun Belediyespor and Trabzonspor basketball teams in Giresun Province on 25 May 2013. Onur Utku Torun’s (14) right leg bone was fractured with the baton hit. He had to have an operation and platinum was planted in his leg.
(05/175) Coercion in prison…
Delil Tekin and his two friends were put into solitary confinement for 10 days in Şakran (İzmir) T Type of Closed Prison, reported on 27 May 2013.
(05/176) Coercion in prison…
Hayriye Yağbasan and Hürriyet Doğan were beaten by the guardians on the grounds that they did not accept the cavity search in Şakran (İzmir) Prison for Females on 16 May 2013. They were put into solitary confinement for 3 days reported on 27 May 2013.
(05/177) Tried people…
On 27 June 2013, 14 student in Bursa Penal Court for Juveniles and 2 other students in Bursa Penal Court of Peace No. 1 will be tried in connection with the action of the Liseli Genç Umut/High School Students Young Hope in front of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Province Branch building in Bursa Province on 25 March 2013 on charges of “insulting a public officer (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) due to the performance of his public duty” under Article 125 of TPC.
(05/178) Tried students…
On 27 May 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 13 went on hearing the case against 14 students -11 pre-trial detainees- who had been arrested from the KCK investigation launched after the fight in Ankara University Faculty of Letters (Dil and Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi( DTCF)) on 12 November 2012, and detained the next day on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “wounding”.
The court released all pre-trial detainees after hearing their legal arguments.
(05/179) Ongoing KCK/TM Ana Case in İstanbul Province…
On 27 May 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -111 pre-trial detainees and 23 fugitives- who had been subjected to the KCK investigation in İstanbul Province in 2011.
The court heard the defences and got the evidences. The hearings will go on without a break until 7 June 2013.
29 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/180) Alaattin Karadağ Case…
On 28 May 2013 Bakırköy Heavy Penal Court No. 9 went on hearing the case against police officer Oğuzhan Vural who killed Alaattin Karadağ on the grounds that he did not obey the stop warning in Esenyurt District of İstanbul Province on 19 November 2009.
The court acquitted the police officer on the grounds that he killed the Alaattin Karadağ with self-defence.
(05/181) Riot in prison…
The non-political prisoners in Lice (Diyarbakır) K Type Closed Prison rioted by burning their beds on the grounds that their visitors were ill-treated and the gendarmerie soldiers have been conducting searches in the dormitories on 28 May 2013. The riot was finalised after the governor talked with the prisoners.
(05/182) Ongoing case on the operation on prisons…
On 28 May 2013 Anadolu Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 399 former prisoners in Ümraniye Closed Prison (İstanbul) in connection with the “Return to Life” Operation’s Ümraniye Prison (İstanbul) branch on charges of “rioting”, “wounding” and “having explosives”
Gendarmerie soldiers interfered to the families and lawyers with gas bombs after the quarrel between the families and the police officers in the hearing hall. The defendants were also beaten and taken to the detention room inside the courthouse. The lawyers were taken inside the hall after the break and they stated that they could not defend their clients in their absence. The hearing was adjourned to 30 October 2013.
The “Return to Life” Operation had been conducted in 20 prisons on 19 December 2000 resulted with the murder of 32 people.
(05/183) Detained journalist…
Dicle News Agency’s reporter Mütha Çetin was beaten and arrested as he was photographing a woman who was force to leave the taxi she was in by a police officer in Şişli District of İstanbul Province on 28 May 2013. He made an official complaint against the officers.
(05/184) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the “Stand up for Taksim Platform” who attempted to stop the deforesting in Gezi Park in Taksim Square in İstanbul Province on 28 May 2013.
(05/185) Home raids in Şanlıurfa Province…
Six people, including Ekrem Polatsoy, vice mayor from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Suruç District of Şanlıurfa Province on 26 May 2013. They were detained on charges of “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and “having explosives” on 29 May 2013.
30 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/186) Workers died in the traffic accident…
Ten female agricultural workers died and 13 other workers were wounded in the traffic accident in Adıyaman Province on 29 May 2013.
(05/187) Mahir Zorbey Demirkaya Case…
Turkey’s main forensics institute did not the claims of Mehmet Saylam, police officer, who said “I slipped and then my gun fired” in the case of Mahir Zorbey Demirkaya – a compulsory drafting fugitive who was killed by police fire during his transport to prison.
Turkey’s main forensics institute did not the claims of police officer who said “I slipped and then my gun fired” in the Demirkaya case.
According to an article written by İsmail Saymaz on Radikal newspaper, a forensics institute report submitted to the court said: “We declare that it was impossible the gun shots have been made while losing balance during falling, and that the guns shots have been made by pulling the trigger two consecutive times.”
On 4 March 2012, Demirkaya was detained by the police for “holding a minor”. In the meanwhile, police detected that Demirkaya was a compulsory drafting fugitive and ordered to serve 10 months of prison.
Following that, Demirkaya reportedly asked the release of his handcuffs to embrace his mother. A police officer shot him in the head as he ran away after the release of his handcuffs.
Suspect Saylam claimed that he shot Demirkaya by mistake, which led to his acquittal by court. After a prosecutor objected the court decision, Saylam has been arrested by the court again.
On 10 May 2012, on the first hearing, the court released Saylam on the “changing possibility of crime’s nature”, despite prosecutor’s charges for “deliberate murder” of Saylam.
According to the report of the Specialisation Board No.1 stated unanimously that it is impossible that the gun fired spontaneously and the trigger pulled twice on 16 January 2013. Another report prepared with the demand of the family of the deceased stated on 20 September 2012 that the gun could not fire with the fall and uncontrolled way.
After the two reports the hearing went on 18 April 2013. The prosecutor made his legal argument on the essence of the case and asked the imprisonment of the defendant up to 25 years on charges of “intentional homicide”. The court declined the detention of the defendant and adjourned the hearing to 25 April 2013.
On 28 May 2013 the court watched the surveillance camera records in which the police officer was seen as firing his firearm 4 seconds after he had fell down. Despite the footage the court declined the demand for the detention of the defendant and adjourned the hearing to 4 June 2013.
(05/188) Soldier committed suicide in Van Province…
Specialised sergeant Murat Sağır (27) affiliated to Van Province Gendarmerie Command killed himself with his firearm in his car in Edremit District on 29 May 2013.
(05/189) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the “Stand up for Taksim Platform” who attempted to stop the deforesting in Gezi Park in Taksim Square in İstanbul Province on 28 May 2013.
Police teams interfered to the demonstrators with gas bombs in the park and force them to leave the park and set their tents into fire in the dawn of 30 May 2013. Officers also unplanted the trees that had been planted by the demonstrators. A demonstrator was wounded and another one was arrested.
(05/190) Ongoing KCK Case in Batman Province…
On 29 May 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 40 defendants -20 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK investigation in Batman Province on 4 February 2012 and 34 of them detained on charges of being a member of the KCK on 7 February 2012.
The court heard the defendants in Kurdish and Turkish and released Selim Aratimur, Veysi Geyik and Zeynel Abidin Çelik and adjourned the hearing to 17 September 2013.
(05/191) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province and the case against the demonstrators…
On 18 February 2013 Lawyers of the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and Liberal Lawyers Association (ÖHD) who had applied to the court against the pre-trial detention of the nine lawyers who had been detained on 21 January 2013 and then launched sit-in strike in Çağlayan Courthouse. The lawyers made a public statement and hanged a placard. Seven lawyers were wounded and five lawyers were detained in the intervention with batons and gas bombs.
An investigation was launched against Lawyers Erman Öztürk, Arman Yılmaz, Muhittin Köylüoğlu, Özgür Esen and Halil Kocabaş reported on 5 Mart 2013.
İstanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office demanded 9 years of imprisonment for each of the four lawyers on charges of “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” and “resisting public officers due to his duty” and 17 for Muhittin Köylüoğlu on charges of “insulting a public officer due to the performance of his public duty” under Article 125 of TPC besides the aforementioned charges against the other lawyers.
İstanbul Penal Court of First Instance began to hear the case against the lawyers on 29 May 2013 and heard the defendants before adjourning the hearing to hear the officers who had signed the incident minutes.
31 May 2013 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/192) Work accident in Sivas Province…
Kaddafi Gülmez (32) who has been working in the subcontractor of the Railway Machines Industry Limited Firm/Türkiye Demiryolları Makinaları Sanayi Anonim Şirketi died after the wagon fell on him in Sivas Province on 30 May 2013.
(05/193) Ongoing case on death with torture in detention…
On 27 October 2010 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 3 had sentenced sub-lieutenant Salih Üner (who has “Rambo” as nickname) to life sentence in solitary confinement and with no possibility of parole in connection with killing Abdulkadir Kurt (36) with torture who had been detained in Ağıllı Village of Bismil District of Diyarbakır Province on 19 February 1992 on charges of “homicide with torture with evil sentiments”. The court had also acquitted 14 soldiers.
The Supreme Court of Appeal’s Penal Chambers No. 1 annulled the verdict on the grounds that some of the witnesses were not faced with the defendant and some of the documents were not read in the hearings reported on 11 February 2013.
After the crash verdict of the Supreme Court of Appeal’s Penal Chambers No. 1 the court wen on hearing the case on 30 May 2013. The court took the defence of Salih Üner who is in Bursa E Type of Closed Prison via remote access and sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment on charges of “homicide with torture in order to get a confession during his duty”.
(05/194) Finalised Hezbollah Case…
On 30 December 2009 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 had sentenced 16 defendants to life sentence in the case against 33 defendants who had been tried on charges of being a member of the Hezbollah. They had been detained in the operation which had been launched after the raid on the house of Hezbollah leader Hüseyin Velioğlu had been inside in Beykoz District of İstanbul Province on 17 December 2000.
The defendants had been charged with 198 armed attacks, the murder of 156 people, and the wounding of 80 others. The defendants had declined allegations but some of them accepted Hezbollah membership.
11 defendants had been sentenced to 1 to 14 years of imprisonment from membership. Two others were acquitted and the case against two defendants had been dropped due to their deaths.
The case against Cihan Yıldız who had allegedly killed DEP Deputy Mehmet Sincar and who was extradited from Austria to Turkey in 2008 was separated. The trial of Cihan Yıldız went on 30 May 2013.The court sentenced Cihan Yıldız to life time imprisonment and adjudicated the case file of fugitive Ejder Arpa to be separated.
(05/195) Violence in kindergarten…
Twins G.Ç. (3) and Y.A.Ç. (3) were beaten by their teachers as they were eating their lunch in the private kindergarten in Adana Province on 29 May 2013.
(05/196) Coercion in prison…
One hundred eighty prisoners who had been transferred from Şakran (İzmir) T Type of Closed Prison to Mardin E Type of Closed Prison against their will on 15 July 2012 were sentenced to 10 days of solitary confinement on the grounds that they had revolted, reported on 23 May 2013.
(05/197) Tried person…
On 30 May 2013 Antalya Penal Court of First Instance No. 18 went on hearing the case against Lawyer Mevhibe Canan Arın in connection with her speech in the seminar titled “Violence against Women and The Law of Women’s Rights” in Antalya Province on 3-4 December 2011 on charges of “insulting the religious values that a sect of the society is acknowledged” under Article 216 of the TPC. The court adjudicated to postpone the prosecution against the defendant basing its verdict to the Temporary Article 1/1-b of the Law No. 6352 which came into force as a part of the Third Judiciary Reform Package on 5 July 2012.
(05/198) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…
Police teams interfered to the members of the “Stand up for Taksim Platform” who attempted to stop the deforesting in Gezi Park in Taksim Square in İstanbul Province on 28 May 2013.
Police teams interfered to the demonstrators with gas bombs in the park and force them to leave the park and set their tents into fire in the dawn of 30 May 2013. Officers also unplanted the saplings that had been planted by the demonstrators. A demonstrator was wounded and another one was arrested.
On 31 May 2013 police teams interfered to the demonstrators with gas bombs, resorting to excessive violence. They forced the demonstrators to leave the park and burned their tents also unplanted the saplings. At least 7 people were wounded and 6 of them in intensive care service due to head trauma.
(05/199) Detentions and arrests…
Twelve people were arrested allegedly “being a member of PKK” in the operation in Hatay, Mersin and İstanbul Provinces conducted from Adana Province on 30 May 2013.