GENERAL REPORT : Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) – January 2013

01 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/001) Death in detention… Courage Aigbedion who had come to Turkey to work from Nigeria in 2011 was beaten by five people in İstanbul Province on 17 October 2012 and he was detained and died in detention reported by Vanguard Newspaper from Nigeria on 31 January 2013.

His brother Presley Aigbedion stated to Vanguard Newspaper that his brother was kept in detention for three week although he was in coma. They called to identify the body on 12 December 2012.

According to the security directorate, Courage Aigbedion was brought to the Foreigners’ Directorate in Kumkapı District after the fight. There he stated that he was an AIDS patient. He stayed there for 21 days. He was hospitalised to Haseki Hospital due to deterioration of his health and died there.

(02/002) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Diyarbakır Province…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 175 defendants -108 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 31 January 2013.

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 heard the evidences and allegations against Ali Çelik and accepted the demand of the lawyers to assign a Kurdish translator after the amendment of the law. The court heard the legal argument of Ali Şimşek with the Kurdish translator. The hearing was adjourned to 1 February 2013.

(02/003) Acquitted mayors…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 98 mayors and 8 chairpersons of the Province General Assembly in connection with the public statement on the prison conditions of Abdullah Öcalan in Diyarbakır Province on 4 December 2009 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 Fighting with Terrorism Law on 31 January 2013.

The court accepted the demand of the defendants to make their legal arguments in Kurdish and acquitted 105 defendants.

(02/004) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 31 January 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/005) Attack on party building…

Unidentified people attacked on Peace and Democracy Party’s District Branch office with stones in Mezitli District of Mersin Province on 31 January 2013. Three people were detained after the incident.

(02/007) Acquitted mayor…

On 31 January 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 7 acquitted Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir in connection with three activities he had participated in 2011 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law three times, “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” and “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC due to lack of evidence.

(02/008) Tried people…

On 31 March 2010 twenty people had been detained in Ankara, İzmir, Samsun and Bursa Provinces with the order of Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 11 on the grounds that they had participated in the activities for Alaattin Karadağ who had been killed by police officer in Esenyurt District of İstanbul Province on 19 November 2009 on behalf of Independent Revolutionary Class Platform/Bağımsız Devrimci Sınıf Platformu (BDSP). Onur İnce, Hızlan Erpak, Özgür Karagöl, Can Kızıltan, and Emre Azapçı had been arrested on 3 April 2010.

Ten members of the BDSP had been detained also in İzmir Province and then they had been released. On 31 January 2013 İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 8 went on hearing the case against the ten defendant who had been detained in İzmir 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. The hearing was adjourned to 9 May 2013 on the grounds that the court jury had been changed.

 

02-04 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/009) Suicide bomber in Ankara Province…

Suicide bomber attack was conducted to the gate of the USA’s Embassy in Ankara Province on 1 February 2013. The bomber allegedly attempted to enter as a cargo worker. Ecevit (Alişan) Şanlı and security officer Mustafa Akarsu died in the attack. NTV’s former reporter Didem Tuncay was wounded.

On 2 February 2013 Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) undertook the attack and accepted that Ecevit Şanlı was their militant.

Three people who had been detained on charges of providing fake ID card to Ecevit Şanlı were released on the grounds that their “organisational links could not be find”.

(02/010) Explosion in Mardin Province…

Two Syrian Ebdulbaki Hisen and Alan İbrehim were killed and 2 other Syrians were wounded with the explosion of a land mine in Şenyurt Municipality of Kızıltepe District of Mardin Province on 2 February 2013.

(02/011) Death in prison…

Gökhan Oraklı (30) attempted suicide with taking medicines in Kepsut (Balıkesir) L Type of Closed Prison on 29 January 2013.

(02/012) Racist attack case in Manisa Province…

On 1 February 2013 Uşak Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 went on hearing the case against 8*0 defendants in connection with the racist attack which had sparkled in Selendi District of Manisa Province on 24 December 2009 and resulted with the exile of 74 Roma people -15 of them juveniles- from the district on 5 January 2010.

The court finalised the hearing of the legal arguments in its 9th hearing and adjourned the hearing to 17 May 2013 to get the witness accounts of the police officers.

(02/013) Violence in primary school…

Vakıf Primary School student A.K. (14) was beaten by his Technological Design Teacher A.A on the grounds that he did not bring the goods he asked in Siverek District of Şanlıurfa Province on 28 January 2013. A.K. lost his right testicle.

(02/014) Torture and ill-treatment in detention…

The lawyer of the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) who had been arrested recently, were visited by the committee of the Republican People Party (CHP) on 29 January 2013. Lawyers Naciye Demir, Nazan Betül Kozaağaçlı, Ebru Timtik, Şükriye Erden, Barkın Timtik, Güçlü Sevimli, Taylan Tanay, Günay Dağ, Selçuk Kozağaçlı stated that they were ill-treated in detention and their salivary dsamples were taken against their consent, reported on 1 February 2013.

(02/015) Coercion in prison…

Mert Toka who had been detained and arrested in the operation against Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD), Yürüyüş Magazine in İzmir Province on 18 January 2013 was beaten by the guardians and his head were hit to the walls and heaters in Kırıklar F Tipi Type of Closed Prison No. 2 on the grounds that he did not take off his shoes. The incident revealed with the visit of Mert Toka’s mother on 21 January 2013.

(02/016) Coercion in prison…

Spanish citizen in Bakırköy (İstanbul) L Type of Closed Prison for Females, Concepcio Fernazdez Agurrezabi, became colon cancer patient and had to have chemotherapy once in every 21 days reported on 4 February 2013.

(02/017) Coercion in prison…

Bülent Kapar and Aligül Alkaya were beaten by the guardians on the grounds that the opposed the decision of the administration that only ten books can be in units in Tekirdağ F Type of Closed Prison No. 1 reported on 1 February 2013.

(02/018) Tried People…

On 1 February 2013 Yüksekova Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 went on hearing the case against Yüksekova former Vice Mayor Reşit Orbay, (Workers of the Municipalities and Local Governments Trade Union) Tüm Bel-Sen Yüksekova Representative Tahir Tekinalp ile Municipal Assembly member Muhyettin Önal and Cengiz Rençber in connection with hanging placards in Turkish and Kurdish as a part of the “Life with multi-language project initiated by the Yüksekova Municipality (Hakkâri) on 7 January 2011 on charges of “opposing to the Law of Political Parties”.

The court accepted the defendants demand to make their legal argument in Kurdish and adjudicated to postpone the prosecution against the defendants for 3 years 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.

(02/019) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Diyarbakır Province…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 175 defendants -108 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 1 February 2013.

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 heard the evidences and allegations against Ahmet Ertak. The court heard the legal argument of Ahmet Ertak with the Kurdish translator. The hearing was adjourned to 4 February 2013.

(02/020) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

Two Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) members Boran Atıcı ve Eren Bulut were detained as they were hanging posters in Esenler District of İstanbul Province on 3 February 2013.

(02/021) Intervention to the protest in Cizre Province…

M.A. (16) whose leg bone had been fractured with the hit of the gas bomb canister in the intervention of law-enforcement with pressured water and gas bombs on the meeting in Cizre District of Şırnak Province on 30 January 2013, had an operation from his leg and had platinum support reported on 2 February 2013.

(02/022) Intervention to the protest in Şanlıurfa Province…

Two people were wounded and 5 people were detained in the intervention of law-enforcement with pressured water and gas bombs on the meeting of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) to support the Kurdish people in Syria in Viranşehir District of Şanlıurfa Province on 3 February 2013.

 

05 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/023) The case of Emrah Barlak…

Police officer İ.K. killed Emrah Barlak (26) and wounded three others in the quarrel after the traffic accident between a police vehicle and a civilian one in Karabağlar District of İzmir Province on 12 August 2012 and he was arrested on 13 August 2012. The prosecutor finalised the indictment on 26 September 2012 and asked life sentence for the officer.

On 1 February 2013 İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against police officer İ.K. and heard the witness accounts and declined the demand of the defendant to be released. The hearing was adjourned to evaluate surveillance camera records.

(02/024) Revolutionary Headquarters case…

After the murder of Orhan Yılmazkaya in an apartment in Bostancı Quarter of Kadıköy District of İstanbul Province on 27 April 2009 an operation against the Revolutionary Headquarters was launched.

On 4 February 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 9 went on hearing the case against 75 defendants -8 of them pre-trial detainees- on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC. The court heard the legal argument of the prosecutor on the essence of the case. The hearing was adjourned for the preparation of the legal argument of the defendant on the essence of the case.

(02/025) Third KCK/TM main case ongoing in İstanbul Province…

Police teams had raided on news agencies mainly Dicle News Agency (DİHA) in the framework of the KCK investigation and 49 journalists had been detained on 20 December 2011.

İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 9 arrested 36 of the detainees on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 24 December 2011.

İstanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against 44 journalists and sent it to İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 to be evaluated on 27 April 2012. The court accepted the 800 paged indictment against 44 journalists on charges of “being a member or leader of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC on 11 May 2012.

İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case on 4 February 2013. The court went on hearing the indictment and declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish to be evaluated later.

The court adjourned the hearing to 5 February 2013 and will go on hearings till 8 February 2013.

(02/026) Juvenile detained in Diyarbakır Province…

F.E. (16) was detained in front of the shop he has been working in and taken to Juveniles Department in Diyarbakır Province on 4 February 2013.

 

06 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/027) Coercion in prison…

BDP Ümraniye District Branch Chairperson Recep Karagül (51) had a heart attack in Silivri L Type of Closed Prison No. 2, reported on 5 February 2013. He had been detained in the KCK operation in İstanbul Province on 28 October 2011.

(02/028) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 5 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/029) Coercion in prison…

Sixty-two prisoners from Diyarbakır D Type of Closed Prison were transferred to diffirent prisons against their will reported on 5 February 2013.

(02/030) Coercion in prison…

Six prisoners from Kürkçüler (Adana) F Type of Closed Prison were transferred to Kırıkkale F Type of Closed Prison against their will reported on 6 February 2013.

(02/031) Coercion in prison…

Cemil Yavuz had been trasfered from Kepsut (Balıkesir) L Type of Closed Prison to Çanakkale E Type of Closed Prison against his will and he was sentenced to solitary confinement for 12 days reported on 6 February 2013.

(02/032) Coercion in prison…

Dicle News Agency’s reporter Ferhat Arslan had been arrested on 5 October 2012 and sent to Kürkçüler (Adana) F Type of Closed Prison. His two letters from the prison (dated on 16 November 2012 and 15 January 2013) to the writer Hüseyin Aykol were confiscated on the grounds that the letters jeopardized the security of the prison, reported on 6 February 2013.

(02/033) Detained chairperson of the trade union…

Mehmet Karaaslan, the chairperson of the Bureau Worker Trade Union/Büro Emekçileri Sendikası (BES) Diyarbakır Branch, was detained as he was cruising with his car in Diyarbakır Province on 5 February 2013. He was taken to the Anti-Terror Directorate without any explanation.

(02/034) Arrested person…

Abdullah Özgenç, a member of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), was detained in front of Diyarbakır E Type of Closed Prison as he went to the prison for a visit on 4 February 2013. He was arrested in Adana Province on 5 February 2013.

 

07 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/035) Extra-judicial killing attempt in Ağrı Province…

Nesim Yıldırım was seriously wounded with police fire on the grounds that he began to run away after he had noticed that he was tailed in Doğubayazıt District of Ağrı Province on 5 February 2013. He was sot with two bullets from his back.

(02/036) Ongoing death with torture in army headquarters…

Uğur Kantar while doing his military service in Cyprus he had been put into a disciplinary cell. Because of torture over three days his brain had stopped to function between 25 July and 12 October 2011. He had been taken to the military hospital GATA (Ankara) and remained in a coma. On the 79th day he had lost his life.

In the indictment of the military prosecutor of the Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus the persons held responsible for the death of Uğur Kantar were charged as: the guardians in the disciplinary ward, Ayhan Arslan and Fırat Keser, for having caused the death by aggravated torture, the guardian Recep Tekin for misusing his authority five times and intentionally injuring a person, the prison director Ayhan Şentürk for negligence and misuse of duty, the guardians Süleyman Özdoğan, Özkan Belmen and Ahmet Yurdusevdi for misuse of duty. The Martial Court of the Peace Forces in Cyprus decided to separate the case of 3 guardians, two of them in pre-trial detention, all of them being regular soldiers and to have their trial continued at Elazığ Heavy Penal Court. The case against four defendants, not in pre-trial detention, including the prison director at the military court of the Peace Forces in Cyprus on 17 February 2012 revealed out that the Forensic Medicine Institute could not manage to determine the reason of death of Kantar.

Martial Court of the Turkish Peace Forces Command had adjudicated nolle prosequi for pre-trial detainees Ayhan Arslan and Fırat Keser for the other defendant Recep Tekin on the grounds that they should be tried in heavy penal courts. Martial Supreme Court of Appeals annulled this verdict reported on 6 February 2013.

(02/037) Finalised case on torture and ill-treatment in detention and impunity…

The verdict against the 4 police officers who had tortured Atılım Newspaper’s reporter Şenol Gürkan in detention in 2001 had been annulled third times due to the proceedings.

On 22 January 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 1 went on hearing the case asked the parties their demands on whether the court should comply with the annulment decision of The Supreme Court of Appeal’s Penal Chambers No. 8.

Şenol Gürkan’s lawyer Elvan Olkun stated that the case has been going on since 2001 and if the court decline the annulment decision the case will be delivered to The Supreme Court of Appeal’s General Board of the Penal Chambers and it will be protracted again, so she demanded compliance. The prosecutor demanded from the court to decline the annulment decision. The defendants’ lawyers demanded compliance.

The court had adjudicated to comply with the annulment decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal’s Penal Chambers No. 8 and to ask the forensic medicine report of Şenol Gürkan from Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 11.

On 22 January 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 1 heard the prosecutor’s legal argument on the essence of the case and the prosecutor demanded up to 8 years of imprisonment of each defendant. He had asked 13 months of imprisonment each in the first two proceedings.

On 6 February 2013 the court sentenced the officers 12 months of imprisonment each on charges of “torture” under the Article 243/1 of the former TPC No. 765. The court commuted the sentences to tewn months and postpone the announcement of the verdict.

(02/038) Ongoing investigation on torture and ill-treatment in detention…

H.D. who had been detained on the grounds that he had been a draft dodger in Kâğıthane District of İstanbul Province on 19 June 2012 and taken to Sanayi Police Station where he had been tortured by seven officers. The footage on the torture revealed on 26 December 2012.

İstanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against 7 police officers reported on 31 January 2013.

The prosecutor asked for 12 years for two officers on charges of “torturing” and 6 years for 4 officers on charges of “helping torture”.

İstanbul Heavy Penal Court will begin to hear the case soon reported on 6 February 2013.

(02/039) Home raids in Batman Province…

Four people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Batman Province on 6 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/040) Home raids in Diyarbakır Province…

Two people were detained in home raids of the gendarmerie and Special Task Force teams in Zorava Village of Sur District of Diyarbakır Province on 6 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/041) Home raids in Muş Province…

Three people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the KCK investigation in Muş Province on 6 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/042) Detained person…

Felek Poyraz, who had visited Zeynep Erden and Aynur Enpili in Şakran (İzmir) Prison for Females on 6 February 2013 was detained by police officers in plain clothes in the public transport vehicle as she was returning from the prison on the grounds that she has been a courier. She was taken to Karşıyaka Police Station and she was released after the police officers could not find anything in cavity search.

 

08 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/043) Impunity in the case of Yahya Menekşe…

Yahya Menekşe (16) had been killed with the hit of the armoured poliçe vehicle during a protest in Cizre District of Şırnak Province on 14 February 2008.

He driver police officer O.Y. had been tried on charges of “causing homicide with negligence” and the prosecutor had asked up to 6 years of imprisonment. On 11 December 2012 Cizre Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 acquitted the officer.

(02/044) Coercion in prison…

South African citizen Angel Mtsweni who is a HIV positive patient, has been in Bakırköy (İstanbul) L Tipi Prison for Females. Her health deteriorated due to improper nutrition in the prison reported on 7 February 2013.

(02/045) Fire in Prison…

Two juveniles, İsa Pınarbaşı and Metin Çiçek, were seriously wounded in the fire in the juveniles dormitory in Ceyhan (Adana) M Type of Closed Prison on 7 February 2013. Five juveniles and 7 guardians who had effected from the smoke were hospitalised.

(02/046) Death in prison…

Pre-trial detainees Metin Abacı (52) committed suicide by hanging himself in Karabük T Type of Closed Prison on 7 February 2013.

(02/047) 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. The next hearing will be held on 2 May 2013.

(02/048) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 7 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/049) The case launched against the family of the victim of the extra-judicial killing in Ankara Province…

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.

On 2 September 2012, eight women from the family of Cem Aygün attempted to protest in front of the Ankara Security Directorate. They were detained for two hours on the grounds that they shouted “we want our brother back”.

Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment and sent it to the court to be evaluated reported on 7 November 2012.

On 7 February 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 8 went on hearing the case against eight women and heard the legal arguments of the defendants. The court adjourned the hearing to 3 March 2013 for the evaluation of the police radio records and to receive judicial files of Cem Aygün.

(02/050) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Turan Tuncer and his brother were stopped by traffic team as they were returning from their work to their house with their motorcycle in Batman Province. They were beaten by the officers on the grounds that they swear them and Turan Teuncer’s right hand finger was fractured. He made an official complaint to the prosecution office reported on 7 February 2013.

(02/051) Ongoing KCK Case in Ağrı Province…

On 7 February 2013 Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 15 defendants -10 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in the framework of KCK/TM operation in Doğubayazıt District of Ağrı Province on 3 December 2011 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC. The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants in Turkish and Kurdish and released Muhlis Altun, Beritan Doğan and Burhan Karatay.

(02/052) Detained party executive…

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Assembly member Ali Damar was detained as he was going to Şırnak Province from its district Cizre on 7 February 2013.

(02/053) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Abdullah Sayır and his father Sıddık Sayır were detained in home raids on the grounds that they help illegal organisation in Hakkari Province on 7 February 2013.

 

09-11 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/054) Murder by unknown assailants in Ağrı Province…

Former temporary village guard Kamil Kocabay (36) was found dead in Çukurçayır Village of Ağrı Province on 8 February 2013. His body had been hanged from the bridge.

(02/055) Death in prison…

İlyas Uyar (27) allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with his clothes in solitary confinement in Şanlıurfa E Tipi Type of Closed Prison on 9 February 2013.

(02/056) Ongoing Case on death with torture in detention…

On 27 Octber 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 was not faced with the defendant and some of the documents was not read in the hearings reported on 11 February 2013.

(02/057) Third KCK/TM main case ongoing in İstanbul Province…

Police teams had raided on news agencies mainly Dicle News Agency (DİHA) in the framework of the KCK investigation and 49 journalists had been detained on 20 December 2011.

İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 9 arrested 36 of the detainees on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 24 December 2011.

İstanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against 44 journalists and sent it to İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 to be evaluated on 27 April 2012. The court accepted the 800 paged indictment against 44 journalists on charges of “being a member or leader of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC on 11 May 2012. İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case on 8 February 2013.

The court declined the demand of the defendants for Kurdish legal arguments to be evaluated later. Released the pretirla detainees -DİHA reporters Çağdaş Kaplan, Zuhal Tekiner and Pervin Yerlikaya Babil, ANF reporter İsmail Yıldız, Owner and Editor in Chief of Özgür Gündem, Ziya Çiçekçi, Owner of Demokratik Modernite Magazine Ömer Çiftçi ile Saffet Orman. The court adjourned the hearing to 22 April 2013 without stopping till 26 April 2013.

(02/058) Tried director of the new agency…

The investigation against the Etkin Haber Ajansı (ETHA) in connection with stories of the torture victims who had been tortured by Sedat Selim Ay, who was recently assigned as İstanbul Security Vice Director responsible from the Fighting with Terror in 1990s with the official complaint of Sedat Selim Ay was finalised reported on 8 February 2013.

On 6 June 2013 İstanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 48 will begin to hear the case against ETHA Director Goncagül Telek on charges of “insulting” and “

(02/059) Intervention to the protest against the minister…

Six people –members of the People’s House and Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) members who attempted to protest the Minster of economics Zafer Çağlayan were detained in Mersin Province on 8 February 2013.

(02/060) Coercion in prison…

Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) executives and members Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Taylan Tanay, Güçlü Sevimli and Günay Dağ who had been arrested in the operation of Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) on 21 January 2013 were banned from visits for 1 month on the grounds that they resisted to body search and chanted slogans in the entrance of Kandıra (Kocaeli) F Type of Closed Prison No. 1 on 23 January 2013 , reported on 8 February 2013.

(02/061) Tried lawyers…

Silivri Penal Court of First Instance No.2 accepted the indictment against İstanbul Bar Association’s Executive Board Chairperson Ümit Kocasakal and Executive Board Members Hasan Kılıç, Mehmet Durakoğlu, Başar Yatlı, Turgay Demirci, Hüseyin Özbek, Ayşe Füsun Dikmenli, Ufuk Özkap, İsmail Altay and Aydeniz Alisbah Tuksan who had criticised the court on the grounds that the ground was not left to them during the hearing of the finalised Sledgehammer/Balyoz Darbe Planı Case on 26 March 2012 and the next one on charges of “attempting the duty of judiciary” under Article 277 of the TPC. The first hearing will be held on 17 May 2013.

(02/062) Lynch attempt in Mersin Province…

Families who talked in Kurdish in the wedding ceremony in Arslanköy Municipality of Mersin Province on 8 February 2013 were beaten with iron and wooden sticks. Eleven people were wounded in the incident.

(02/063) Tried person…

Seventeen cases were launched against Daily Kurdish Azadiya Welat Newspaper’s former editor-in-chief İbrahim Güvenç in connection with 17 news that were published in 6 months in 2012 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law and Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 8 and 9 have been hearing the cases reported on 9 February 2013.

(02/064) Detained person…

Çiçek Orhan, who had visited Sevcan Atak in Şakran (İzmir) Prison for Females on 8 February 2013 was detained by police officers in plain clothes in the public transport vehicle as she was returning from the prison on the grounds that she has been a courier. She was taken to Aliağa Police Station and she was released after the police officers could not find anything in cavity search.

(02/065) Coercion in prison…

H.D. was transferred from the solitary confinement in Şakran (İzmir) Closed Prison for Juveniles to Sincan (Ankara) Closed Prison for juveniles against his will and beaten by the guardians on the grounds that he objected to cavity search on 9 February 2013.

(02/066) Attack on party building…

Unidentified people break the winodows of the Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Dsitrict Branch office in Nusaybin District of Mardin Province on 8 February 2013.

(02/067) Coercion in prison…

Eight prisoners who had transferred from Diyarbakır D Type of Closed Prison to Çanakkale E Type of Closed Prison against their will on 13 January 2013 were beaten by the guardians in the entrance of the prison and the arm of Medeni Kaya was fractured reported on 9 February 2013.

(02/068) Detained persons…

Ali Bilen and Mehmet Tamamboğa were detained as they got out of the BDP’s District Branch office in Viranşehir District of Şanlıurfa Province on 10 February 2013.

 

12 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/069) Tension between Turkey and Syria and the violations in the border…

Thirteen people -4 citizens of Republic of Turkey- were killed and 32 people were wounded in the explosion of the bomb in a car in Cilvegözü Custom Border Gate in Reyhanlı District of Hatay Province on 11 February 2013.

(02/070) Explosion in İstanbul…

A person was wounded with the explosion of the bomb left inside the waste container in front of the İstanbul University’s Faculty of Water Products in Fatih District of İstanbul Province on 11 February 2013.

(02/071) Convicted people…

On 11 February 2013 Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 17 students of the Ardahan University on grounds that they had thrown stones to the law enforcement during an intervention to the demonstration to support the hunger strike in prisons in Ardahan Province on 5 November 2012, on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC. Sixteen defendants were sentenced to 3 years, 1 month and 15 days of imprisonment each.

Emre Aktaş was acquitted on grounds that he could not be recognised from the footages.

(02/072) Confiscated magazine…

All the copies of the Hawara Botan’s, bimonthly Kurdish magazine which has been published in Cizre District of Şırnak Province, 6th issue, were confiscated on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Lawon 3 February 2013.

(02/073) Ongoing KCK Case Malatya Province…

On 11 February 2013 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 4 began to hear the case against 11 defendants including BDP Province Branch Chairperson Gaffar Bayram and İHD Malatya Province Branch Executive Hikmet Kapancı-who had been detained in home raids in the framework of KCK investigation in Malatya Province on 19 June 2012 and then arrested on 22 June 2012.

After hearing the legal arguments of the defendants in Turkish and in Kurdish the court adjourned the hearing.

(02/074) Home raids in İstanbul Province…

Thirteen people -9 juveniles- were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in İstanbul Province on 11 February 2013.

 

13 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/075) Convicted deputy…

On 17 January 2013 Ağrı Penal Court of First Instance No. 1 sentenced former Bitlis deputy Mehmet Nezir Karabaş to 12 months of imprisonment and then commuted the sentence to 15000 TLs in connection with his speech in Kurdish in the Newroz Celebration in Ağrı Province on 21 March 2010 on charges of “opposing to the Law of Political Parties” and “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” reported on 12 February 2013.

(02/076) Coercion in prison…

Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) executives and members Selçuk Kozağaçlı and Taylan Tanay who had been arrested in the operation of Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) on 21 January 2013 demanded to have PCs. The administration of the prison declined the demand referring to the Article 314 of the TCP reported on 12 February 2013.

(02/077) Attack on party building…

Unidentified people attacked on the Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) District Branch office and broke the windows and the doors in Ceyhan District of Adana Province on 11 February 2013.

(02/078) Detained person…

Münevver Akyol, who had visited Elmas Alpagut in Şakran (İzmir) Prison for Females on 11 February 2013 was detained by police officers in plain clothes in the public transport vehicle as she was returning from the prison on the grounds that she has been a courier. She was taken to Gümüşpala Police Station and she was released after the police officers could not find anything in cavity search.

(02/079) Home raids in Batman Province…

Yaşar Yalçın who had been detained with 4 others in home raids in Batman Province on 6 February 2013, was arrested on charges of having explosives” on 9 February 2013.

(02/080) Ongoing KCK Case in Ankara Province…

28 trade union members – The full list of detainees is the following: Yunus Akıl – Former President of BTS / Council Member of KESK, Belgizar Sazak – Council Member of BES, Mehmet Arda – Member of Eğitim Sen, Mehmet Sıddık Akın – Secretary General of SES, İzzettin Alpergin – Secretary General of Tüm Bel Sen, Yılmaz Yıldırımcı – Executive of Tüm Bel Sen Ankara Second Branch, Sakine Esen Yılmaz – Executive of Eğitim Sen, Nihat Kılınçalp – Executive of Eğitim Sen Ankara First Branch, Metin Vuranok – General President of Tarım Orkam-Sen, Erdal Turan – Executive of SES Ankara Branch, Ferruh Çelik – Executive of Tüm Bel Sen Ankara Second Branch, Hanım Koçyiğit – Member of Eğitim Sen, Seyran Şık – Haber-Sen Women Secretary General, Mehmet Sezgin İbin – Executive of Tarım Orkam Sen Ankara Branch, Mustafa Bozan – Ankara Branch Chairperson of Yapı Yol Sen, Aykut Erhan Turgut – Executive of Eğitim Sen Ankara Second Branch, Deniz Bozbey Member of Eğitim Sen, Sibel Anıl – Member of Haber-Sen, Erdal Yılmaz – Member of SES, Bekir Gürbüz – Member of Eğitim Sen, Tarık Kaya – Member of Eğitim Sen, Osman İşçi – Member of Eğitim Sen and Researcher in Hacettepe University, Çerkez Aydın, Veysel Özhekdi, Hasan Örgün, Şerif İldoğan, Mehmet Bozgeyik and Fikret Çalağan- were placed on pre-trial detention under charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of Turkish Penal Code (TPC). 25 have been provisionally released pending the outcome of the investigation.

All were detained at the beginning of this week on 25 June 2012, by police forces in the framework of an anti-terrorist operation intended to dismantle the alleged terrorist network – the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) – an organisation said by the authorities to be the “urban branch” of the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Since 2009, several operations of this kind were launched targeting mostly peaceful Kurdish and pro-Kurdish activists. This last operation targeted members of trade unions affiliated to the KESK: the Egitim-Sen, SES (The Trade Union of Public Employees in Health and Social Services), BTS (United Trade Union of Transport Employees) in Ankara, Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Ağrı, Bitlis, Siirt, Adana, Eskişehir Provinces.

Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against 72 defendants and send it to Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 13 to be evaluated reported on 28 January 2013.

On 13 February 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 13 accepted the indictment and declared that it will determine the date of the first hearing later.

List of the suspects according to the public prosecutor Yıldırım Bayyurt:

“Abdulgani Cayhan, Abdulkadir Baydur, Abdullah Karahan, Ahmet Koçyiğit, Alican Kaplan, Alipaşa Şanlı, Aykut Erhan Turgut, Ayten Tekeş, Bekir Gürbüz, Belgizar Sazak, Bülent Kaya, Cebrail Arslan, Cemil Özen, Cemile Duman, Cengiz Paycu, Cezmi Gündüz, Civan Yıldırım, Çerkez Aydemir, Deniz Bozbey, Devrim Kahraman, Emel Emre, Erdal Turan, Erdal Yılmaz, Faik Deli, Feruh Çelik, Fikret Çalağan, Hadi Aslan, Hamdullah Yıldırım, Hanım Koçyiğit, Hasan Kaldık, Hasan Ölgün, Hayati Mehmetoğlu, İlhan Akbaş, İsmail Remzi Kaya, İzzettin Alpergin, İzzettin Ekin, Kasım Birtek, Lami Özgen, Lokman Özdemir, Mehmet Arda, Mehmet Bozgeyik, Mehmet Sadık Varli, Mehmet Sezgin İbin, Mehmet Sıddık Akın, Mesut Fırat, Metin Vuranok, Murat İrfan Işık, Mustafa Bozan, Mütahir Karakuş, Müzahit Karakuş, Nihat Kılınçalp, Niyazi Yılmaz, Osman İşçi, Özkan Yorgun, Reşit Sünbül, Sadrettin Kaya, Sakine Esen Yılmaz, Salih Ersan, Seyran Şık, Sibel Anıl, Sinan Gündüz, Sinan Muşlu, Şahin Kayıkçı, Şerif İldoğan, Tarık Kaya, Veysel Özhekti, Yılmaz Güneş, Yılmaz Meşeli, Yılmaz Yıldırımcı, Yunus Akıl, Yusuf Kösele and Zeyyad Ceylan.”

(02/082) Tried persons in connection with Hopa/Ankara incidents…

On 19 October 2012 Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 24 had heard the hearing the case against 48 people in connection with the incidents in Ankara Province to protest the murder of Metin Lokumcu in Hopa District of Artvin Province on 31 May 2011 on charges of “harming public goods”, “resisting officers”, and “opposing to the Law on Demonstrations No. 2911”. This is the fourth case on the same incidents and the prosecutor had asked for the merge of the previous cases.

The court adjudicated to merge the case with the one against 50 defendants. The court also heard Lawyer Bülent Teoman Özkan and he asked to court to get permission from the Ministry of Interior Affairs for the introductory investigation in accordance with the Law of Lawyers. The court declined the demand.

On 12 February 2013 Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 24 went on hearing the case against 98 defendants -6 lawyers. The court jury realised that the permission for the trial of lawyers from the Ministry of Justice was not taken and separated lawyers’ documents and returned them to the prosecutor.

The court adjourned the hearing to 25 March 2013.

(02/083) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Kubilay Karakollukçu (28) and Gökhan Yelok (26) made an official complaint against the police team who had interfered the fight between them by claiming that they were beaten by batons in Sivas Province on 13 February 2013.

(02/084) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 12 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/085) Detained person…

Eylem Örsan Vural, a member of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) was detained in Bahçelievler District of İstanbul Province on 12 February 2013

(02/086) Ongoing KCK Case in Malatya Province…

On 12 February 2013 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 4 began to hear the case against 11 defendants including BDP Province Branch Chairperson Gaffar Bayram and İHD Malatya Province Branch Executive Hikmet Kapancı-who had been detained in home raids in the framework of KCK investigation in Malatya Province on 19 June 2012 and then arrested on 22 June 2012.

After hearing the legal arguments of the defendants in Turkish and in Kurdish the court released Hikmet Kapancı, Kamber Söylemez, Zeki Kılıçgedik and adjourned the hearing to 13 March 2013.

(02/087) Arrested reporter…

Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Deniz Tekin was detained as he was on his way to cover an incident in Bayraklı District of İzmir Province and then arrested on the grounds that he had convicted from a case on 12 February 2013.

(02/088) Fire in Prison…

Prison in Hakkâri E Type of Closed Prison beat a guardian and then burn the goods in the dormitories on 12 February 2013. The health of the guardian is reportedly getting better and the fire was extinguished.

 

14 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/089) Extra-judicial killing in Diyarbakır Province…

The autopsy report of Şahin Öner (19) that came out on 13 February 2013 confirms the he was killed with the hit of the armoured police vehicle named Akrep/Scorpion during the protest in Diyarbakır Province on 10 February 2013. The report stated that the wounds and the marks of harm are the results of being dragged along. According to the police minutes Şahin Öner was first taken to Şehitlik Police Station and then half an hour later he was taken to an ambulance.

Diyarbakır Governor had claimed that Şahin Öner died because of the sound bomb that exploded as he was carrying it although some witnesses stated that a police vehicle hit him. The autopsy report was not given to the family.

(02/090) Juvenile beaten by private security officers…

Ö.G. (17) who had been argued with the private security officers in the Yenikapı Train Station on the grounds that he wanted to board the train without paying because he could not get his daily salary from the café he has been working for in İstanbul Province. The officers had taken him to a room and beaten him with batons and sprayed tear gas reported on 13 February 2013. Ö.G. whose finger had fractured made an official complaint against the officers.

(02/091) Coercion in prison…

Abdulkadir Çurğatay, IHD’s former executive, who has been in Gaziantep E Type Closed Prison in last three years as pre-trial detainee from the KCK investigation (he had been detained on 13 February 2009), became bladder cancer patient, reported on 13 February 2013.

(02/092) Attack on party building…

Unidentified people attacked on the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) District Branch office with Molotov Cocktails in Dargeçit District of Mardin Province on 12 February 2013.

(02/093) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Seven people were detained in home raids in Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 13 February 2013.

(02/094) Detained person…

Eylem Örsan Vural, a member of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) had been detained in Bahçelievler District of İstanbul Province on 12 February 2013. He was arrested on 13 February 2013 on the grounds that he had been convicted in a case that had been launched in Diyarbakır Province in 2006.

 

15 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

‘(02/095) Death in prison…

Şehabettin Yücel a prisoner from Ermenek (Karaman) M Type Closed Prison died in Numune (Ankara) Training and Survey Hospital on 14 February 2013.

(02/096) Tried police officers in connection with Diyarbakır Incidents…

Enes Ata (8) was one of the ten people who had been killed in the incidents Diyarbakır Province on 28 March 2006. Diyarbakır Governorate declined the demand of the prosecutor for the investigation on the incidents against the police officers who have been working in the Special Task Department of Ankara Security Directorate, B.Ö., H.A. ve N.Ö., on the grounds that the perpetrator was not determined on 25 July 2012.

Diyarbakır Regional Administration Court annulled the decision of the Diyarbakır Governorate and gave the permission for the investigation against the 3 police officers on 4 December 2012, reported on 14 February 2013.

(02/097) Coercion in prison…

Six prisoners from Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison No. 1 were transferred to Kandıra (Kocaeli) F Type Closed Prison No. 1 and 2, another five prisoners were transferred from the same prison to Muğla E Type Closed Prison without their consent, reported on 15 February 2013.

(02/098) Coercion in prison…

18 prisoners from Erzurum H Type Closed Prison were transferred to Tekirdağ F Tipi Type Closed Prison No. 1 and 2 against their will, reported on 15 February 2013.

(02/099) Coercion in prison…

Eight prisoners from Gümüşhane E Type Closed Prison were transferred to Erzurum H Type Closed Prison against their will, reported on 15 February 2013.

‘(02/100) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 15 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/101) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

Police teams interfered with tear gas and batons to the protest of the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP) against the Patriot Missile Systems that were launched in Turkey and the military intervention of the France to Mali in front of the France Culture Centre İstanbul Province on 14 February 2013. SDP’s Central Executive Board member Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu and SDP member Ufuk Taşarer were beaten and then detained in the intervention.

(02/102) Home raids in İstanbul Province…

Six out of the 25 detainees who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in İstanbul Province on 11 February 2013 were arrested in the framework of KCK investigation on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC on 14 February 2013.

(02/103) Home raids in Şırnak Province…

Fifteen people were detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Şırnak Province and its Cizre District on 13 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/104) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Three people were detained in home raids in Yüksekova and Şemdinli District of Hakkâri Province on 14 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/105) Home raids in Mardin Province…

Nine juveniles were detained in home raids on the grounds that they had thrown stones to law-enforcement in various demonstrations in Nusaybin District of Mardin Province on 14 February 2013.

(02/106) Arrested party executive…

BDP Assembly member Nuri Duman had been detained in Diyarbakır Airport on the grounds that there was an arrest warrant against him that was issued in a case against him on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC on 14 February 2013.

 

16-18 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/107) Home raids in Şırnak Province…

Eight people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Silopi District of Şırnak Province on 15 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/108) Death in prison…

Mehmet Yılmaz (45) committed suicide with medicines in Ferizli (Sakarya) L Type of Closed Prison on 14 February 2013.

(02/109) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

A surveillance camera record revealed that four people –one of them a baby- in a car were stopped by police officers in plain clothes and beaten in Kızıltepe District of Mardin Province on 16 February 2013.

(02/110) Threatened reported…

Evrensel Newspaper’s reporter Hasan Akbaş was threatened and insulted by a group as he was walking between Kızılay and Sıhhıye quarters in Ankara Province in the afternoon of 14 February 2013,

(02/111) Coercion in prison…

Five prisoners were transferred from Gaziantep E Type of Closed Prison to Yozgat E Type of Closed Prison against their consent on 13 February 2013.

(02/112) Tried juveniles…

On 14 February 2013 Giresun Court for Juveniles began to hear the case against 7 defendants –members of the Young Hope/Liseli Genç Umut in connection with using “bulb Tayyip” praise for the prime minister in a public statement on charges of “insulting public officials due to their duty” in Giresun Province on 2 January 2011.

The court heard their legal arguments and adjourned the hearing to 30 May 2013.

(02/113) Tried people…

The case against the Giresun Halkevi Branch Chairperson Şenel Kalafa and Branch executives Cengiz Tütüncü and Levent Emre Çağlayan in connection with using the aforementioned praise to protest the case against the 7 juveniles on 26 February 2011 will be heard by Giresun Penal Court of Peace on 20 March 2013.

(02/114) Arrested mayor…

Patnos District of Ağrı Province Mayor Yusuf Yılmaz, was arrested on the grounds that he had convicted to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment by Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No. 2 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and his sentence was approved on 15 February 2013.

(02/115) Ongoing KCK Case in Yüksekova Province…

On 15 February 2013 Van Heavy Penal Court No. 4 began to hear the case against 30 defendants –7 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK operation in Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 12 January 2012. The court heard the defendants in Kurdish and Turkish and released pre-trial detainees Esendere Municipality Mayor Hurşit Alptekin, BDP members Siracettin Fırat, Mehmet Çapraz, Abdurrahman Gemicioğlu, Sabri Tümen, Arif Karay and Cemil Bor.

(02/116) Tried juveniles…

Sixteen juveniles had been detained in the protest for the incommunicado prison conditions of Abdullah Öcalan in Nusaybin District of Mardin Province on 12 October 2011.

Nusaybin Penal Court of First Instance accepted the indictment against six juveniles 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, “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”, and “resisting police officers on duty” and the first hearing will be on 21 February 2013.

(02/117) Tried people…

On 16 February 2013 Bursa Region Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 6 defendants who had been detained in connection with the Labour Day celebrations and the Grup Yorum Concert in Eskişehir Province on 9 May 2012 on charges of “being an executive of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law

Sevil Sevimli, Erasmus Exchange Student from Lumiere Lyon University (France), sentenced to 5 years 2 months and 15 days of imprisonment 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; Seren Özçelik to 4 years and 9 months of imprisonment with the same charges. Other defendants of the case -Burcu Akın, Ceren Cevahir, Kezban Yıldırım and Mustafa Erdal Harman- were acquitted.

(02/118) Ongoing KCK Case in Mardin Province…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 22 defendants -10 pre-trial detainees including Mardin Deputy Gülseren Yıldırım- who had been subjected to KCK operation in Mardin Province on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law on 15 February 2013. The court heard the legal arguments of the defendants in Kurdish and released Abdulkadir Çuğratay (who became bladder cancer patient recently in prison) and Genco Akman and adjourned the hearing to 5 April 2013.

(02/119) Ongoing KCK Case in Ankara Province…

On 13 February 2013 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 13 had accepted the indictment against 72 defendants -28 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained and then arrested in the KCK operation against KESK in 17 provinces in June 2012. The court determined the date of the first hearing as 10 April 2013 and released 6 pre-trial detainees: SES General Secretary Sıddık Akın, Eğitim-Sen Tunceli Branch Chairperson Hasan Ölgün, Eğitim-Sen Adıyaman Branch executive Erdal Yılmaz, Eğitim-Sen member Hanım Koçyiğit, BTS Diyarbakır Branch Secretary Veysel Özhekti and Haber-Sen member Sibel Anıl on 15 February 2013.

(02/120) Protests about the anniversary of the day in which Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey (15 February 1999)…

Ramazan Ay, Vice Mayor Haşim Baday and BDP District Chairperson Fettah Tekin were beaten and 10 others were detained in the intervention to the protest in Kızıltepe District of Mardin Province.

İpekyolu Newspaper reporter Lütfi Pala was wounded with the explosion of the sound bomb and ten people were detained in the intervention to the protest in Van Province.

A woman and her child were wounded with the hit of the gas bomb canister and 15 people were detained in the intervention to the protest in Cizre District of Şırnak Province.

İ.E. (17) was allegedly wounded with the explosion of the sound bomb in the intervention to the protest in Batman Province.

Three people in Nusaybin District of Mardin Province, 3 in İdil District of Şırnak Province, 6 in Viranşehir District of Şanlıurfa Province, and 2 in Dörtyol District of Hatay Province were detained in home raids.

(02/121) Home raids in Siirt Province…

Three people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Siirt Province on 16 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/122) Detained persons in Ankara Province…

Two distributors of Yürüyüş Magazine were beaten and detained in Batıkent Quarter of Yenimahalle District of Ankara Province on 16 February 2013.

(02/123) Home raids in Mardin Province…

Nine out of the 7 detainees who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Nusaybin District of Mardin Province on 14 February 2013 were arrested in the framework of KCK investigation on 15 February 2013.

(02/124) Home raids in İzmir Province…

Four people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the Asarlık Municipality of Menemen District of İzmir Province on 16 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/125) Home raids in Şırnak Province…

Three people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in İdil District of Şırnak Province on 15 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention.

(02/126) Home raids in İstanbul Province…

Five juveniles had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Küçükçekmece District of İstanbul Province on 15 February 2013. The authorities did not make any explanation on the reason of detention. Four out of the five juveniles were arrested on 17 February 2013.

19 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/127) Racist attack and lynch attempt against the deputies in Sinop Province…

During the negotiations for the peaceful settlement of the Kurdish Issue, Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) decided to visit the provinces in Blacksea Region. Deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Levent Tüzel, Sebahat Tuncel and Ertuğrul Kürkçü visited Çorum Province on 18 February 2013. In Sinop Province HDK Commission faced with attack of the nationalists in Sinop Öğretmenevi as they went there to make public statement.

The group that named themselves as Sinop youth Platform/Gençlik Platformu hanged Turkish flags and chanted slogans and then attacked on the commission’s vehicles and plundered.

Police teams did not interfere to the group although they threw stones and burning materials and the HDK Commission had to stay inside for 9 hours.

After the negotiation with Sinop Governor Ahmet Cengiz the HDK Commission left the building with police vehicles and went to Samsun Province.

Sinop Governorate stated that 800 people had gathered in front of the building and judicial proceedings were launched for 14 people.

(02/128) Coercion in prison…

Three prisoners were beaten by allegedly 20 guardians in Van F Closed Prison announced in the public statement on 18 February 2013.

(02/129) Protests about the anniversary of the day in which Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey (15 February 1999)…

Birgül İpekten was wounded from her cheekbone with a plastic bullet in the intervention to the protest in Adana Province on 17 February 2013. She applied to the Human Rights Association’s (IHD) Adana Branch with the report of the Adana State Hospital on 18 February 2013.

(02/130) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Çoruh (Artvin) University’s Lecturer Özbek Acar was beaten by two police officers in plain clothes on the grounds that he asked their IDs in the street, police vehicle, police centre and he was released after an proceedings launched on charges of “ressiting police officers” in Akyazı District of Sakarya Province on 16 February 2013.

Özbek Acar was hospitalised and then had an operation due to the fracture in his finger bone on his left hand.

(02/131) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

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.

(02/132) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

Gendarmerie teams interfered to the groups that participate in the 276th hearing of the Ergenekon Case that was held in İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13 inside the Silivri (İstanbul) Prison Campus on 18 February 2013 with pressured water and gas bombs. Several people were effected from the gas and a person was wounded from her eye and CHP’s deputy Mahmut Tanal was wounded from his leg with pressured water. The hearing was adjourned to 11 March 2013.

(02/133) Tried pianist…

İstanbul Penal Court Peace No. 19 went on hearing the case against Pianist Fazıl Say in connection with the text he shared with tweeter on charges of “insulting religious values” on 18 February 2013.

Fazıl Say did not attend the hearing. The court adjourned the hearing to 15 April 2013.

(02/134) Tried People…

On 18 February 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 9 went on hearing the case against 10 defendants -7 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in Diyarbakır Province on 16 March 2012 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. The court heard the defendants and released 4 pre-trial detainees and adjourned the hearing to 29 April 2013.

(02/135) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Diyarbakır Province…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 175 defendants -108 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 18 February 2013.

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 released Yenişehir Mayor Fırat Anlı, Şırnak Mayor Ahmet Ertak, Dicle Mayor Abdullah Engin, Kızıltepe Mayor Ferhan Türk, Batman former Mayor Hüseyin Kalkan, Hakkâri former Mayor Kazım Kurt and sociologist Aslan Özdemir, Fadile Bayram, Takibe Tugay and Hasan Öner and prolonged the pre-trial detention process of the 98 pre-trial detainees till the next hearing to 6 May 2013.

(02/136) Ongoing “DHKP/C Investigation” operation…

Fighting with terror department teams raided houses, workplaces and institutions in 28 provinces in the framework of Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) operation on 19 February 2013.

167 people were detained and the General Centre of Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK) in Ankara was raided. The search was done in the room of Akman Şimşek Training and Organisation Secretary who had been detained in Antalya Province.

Fifty people in İstanbul, 33 people in Ankara, 16 people in Bursa, 10 people in İzmir, 2 in Antalya, three in Aydın, 3 in Çanakkale, and 12 in Antakya were detained in the operation.

 

20 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/137) Racist attack and lynch attempt against the deputies in Sinop Province…

During the negotiations for the peaceful settlement of the Kurdish Issue, Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) decided to visit the provinces in Blacksea Region. Deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Levent Tüzel, Sebahat Tuncel and Ertuğrul Kürkçü visited Çorum Province on 18 February 2013. In Sinop Province HDK Commission had faced with attack of the nationalists in Sinop Öğretmenevi as they went there to make public statement on 18 February 2013. They were attacked also in the hotel in Samsun Province on 19 February 2013.

The group gathered first in front of the hotel and then of the hall that the commission would make public statement and chanted slogans. The group also attack on the building that the offices of Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Freedom and Solidarity Party and People’s House and threw stones to the building. The group intruded the office of the TKP and hang a Turkish flag from the windowsill.

The attacks were organised allegedly from social media. HDK Commission decided to cancel its visits to other provinces and returned back.

(02/138) Tried writer…

On 19 February 2013 Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 2, (The case no. 2008/42) ewent on hearing the case against Writer Temel Demirer on charges of insulting Turkishness according to Article 301 of the TPC and “inciting people to hatred and enmity” under Article 216 of TPC by saying in brief “the State is the murderer of Hrant Dink” upon Hrant Dink’s assassination.

The court adjudicated to postpone the prosecution against the defendant for 3 years 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.

‘(02/139) Coercion in prison…

Forty-one prisoners from Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison No. 2 were transferred to Metris (İstanbul) T Type Closed Prison witout their consent, reported on 19 February 2013.

(02/140) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 19 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/141) Intervention to the protest in Hatay Province…

Three people -2 of them police officers- were wounded in the intervention with batons and gas bombs to the protest against the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C) operation in Hatay Province on 19 February 2013.

(02/142) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

Police teams detained 18 workers of the Yurtiçi Kargo (Domestic Cargo) who had been laid off on the grounds that they had become members of Revolutionary Land Transport Workers Trade Union of Turkey/Türkiye Devrimci Kara Nakliyat İşçileri (Nakliyat-İş) in İstanbul Province on 19 February 2013. The workers were detained from the roof of the French Consulate on the grounds that the French Post Office hold the 25% of the lots of Yurtiçi Kargo.

 

21 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/143) 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 decided nolle prosequi for police officer O.H. and for police officer F.Y. 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”.

(01/144) Coercion in prison…

Twelve prisoners from Silifke (Mersin) M Type of Prison were transferred to Eskişehir H Type of Prison without their consent, reported 21 February 2013.

(01/145) Coercion in prison…

Five prisoners from Adıyaman E Type of Prison were transferred to Kastamonu E Tipi Type of Prison without their consent, on 11 February 2013.

(02/146) Detentions and arrests…

Two people were detained in home raids on the grounds that they were members of Al-Qaida in Kayseri Province on 20 February 2013.

(02/147) Detained people in Bitlis Province…

Semih Tadik was detained with the order of Van Chief Public Prosecution Office in Güroymak District of Bitlis Province on 20 February 2013.

 

22 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/148) Death in prison…

Ü.K. who had been arrested on charges of “theft” in Elazığ Province on 14 February 2013 was claimed to hanged himself in the observation two hours after he had been sent to Elazığ E Tipi Type of Prison on 15 February 2013.

(02/149) Impunity in death in detention case…

Hasan Latif Kaplan (35) who had been detained on 19 September 2012 and taken to Bağcılar Security Bureau Directorate was allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with his belt from the table that’s height is only 52 centimetres in the meeting room for lawyers in Bağcılar District of İstanbul Province on 20 September 2012.

Hasan Latif Kaplan’s father Mustafa Kaplan stated that he does not believe the allegations because there is not a mark of belt in his neck and there is and a CCTV in the room. He also stated that he will make official complaint.

The Chief Public Prosecution Office decided nolle prosequi from the charges “homicide, forcing suicide and intentional homicide” on the grounds that Hasan Latif Kaplan had committed suicide although his body had approximately 30 marks of violence reported on 22 February 2013.

(02/150) The case on the racist attack in Malatya Province…

Evli family had argued with the drummer on the grounds that he had been intentionally playing his drum in front of their house in Sahur time -meal eaten before starting fasting in Ramadan- although he knows that they are Kurds and Alewis in Sürgü Municipality of Doğanşehir District of Malatya Province on 28 July 2012. A group attempted to lynch the family and attacked with rocks and set the stable of the family on fire.

The gendarmerie soldiers were not adequate for the intervention to the group and additional forces were brought from Doğanşehir District.

On 10 December 2012 Doğanşehir Penal Court of First Instance began to hear the case against 58 defendants from both sides of the incident. During the hearing it is revealed out that the legal arguments of the defendants were deleted from the PC. The court adjudicated to investigate the incident of deletion and adjourned the hearing to 21 February 2013.

On 21 February 2013 Doğanşehir Penal Court of First Instance adjudicated to send the challenge demand to Malatya Heavy Penal Court to be evaluated.

(02/151) Threatened newspaper distributor…

Vedat Aydın who has been distributing daily Özgür Gündem and Azadiya Welat Newspaper in Ağrı Province was threatened by police team to put an end to his job reported on 21 February 2013.

(02/152) Coercion in prison…

İsmail Ay who had been in Şakran (İzmir) T Type of Prison on charges of usurpation, demanded to be transferred to F type closed prison on the grounds that he could not live in crowded units and he started hunger strike on 28 December 2012, reported on 21 February 2013.

İsmail Ay was put into solitary confinement after his hands and legs were cuffed in order to hinder him to give harm his surroundings. He was banned from visits with the same reason.

(02/153) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 21 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/154) Convicted people…

On 21 February 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 4 sentenced Gülsüm Koç (21) to life sentence and 26 years and 8 months of imprisonment on charges of “disrupting the unity and integrity of the state”, “attempting homicide” and “harming public goods” in connection with the armed attack on the police vehicle in which a police officer was wounded in Bingöl Province on 15 May 2011. She was sentenced with the account of confidential witness who had recognised the defendant from the photograph of the people that worked in the election campaign of İdris Baluken and she had been detained as she was studying in her room although the authorities could not find the remnants of powder in her hand.

(02/155) Tried student…

Marmara University student Emine Akman had been beaten and detained in İstanbul Province on 14 August 2011after a group with covered faces threw Molotov cocktails to a market.

On 22 January 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against Emine Akman on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC. The court accepted the demand of the defendant to make her legal argument in Kurdish and decided to call a translator for the next hearing and prolonged the pre-trial detention period and adjourned the hearing to 30 April 2013.

(02/156) Ongoing “DHKP/C Investigation” operation…

Fighting with Terror Department police officers raided on houses, workplaces and institutes in 28 provinces on 19 February 2013.

Three people in Balıkesir and six people in Malatya, Sivas and Tunceli Provinces were arrested on 21 February 2013.

(02/157) Intervention to the protest in İzmir Province…

Three members of the Socialist Reestablishment/Sosyalist Yeniden Kuruluş were detained after they hang a placard in İzmir Province to protest the racist attacks against the Halkların Demokratik Kongresi (HDK) Commission in Sinop and Samsun Provinces.

 

23-25 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/158) Ongoing “DHKP/C Investigation” operation…

Fighting with Terror Department police officers had raided on houses, workplaces and institutes in 28 provinces on 19 February 2013.

Three people in Balıkesir and six people in Malatya, Sivas and Tunceli Provinces had been arrested on 21 February 2013.

Thirty-one out of the 54 detainees in İstanbul Province, 2 out of the 3 in Çanakkale, 2 out of the 18 in Mersin were arrested on 22 February 2013. Nine out of the 30 detainees in Ankara, and 9 out of the 11 Bursa Province were arrested on 23 February 2013.

(02/159) Ongoing KCK Case in Van Province…

Ten out of the 14 detainees who had been subjected to the “KCK Investigation” in Van Province on 7 June 2012 -Van Belediye Chairperson Bekir Kaya, BDP former Province Chairperson Cüneyt Caniş, Başkale Mayor İhsan Güler, BDP Muradiye District Branch Chairperson Mehmet Şirin Yıldız, Özalp Mayor Murat Durmaz, BDP Başkale former District Branch Chairperson ve Democratic Society Congress (DTK) member Derviş Polat, Edremit Mayor Abdulkerim Sayan, BDP Çaldıran District Branch Chairperson Metin Adugit, BDP Erciş District Branch former Chairperson Veli Avcı and BDP Özalp District Branch Chairperson Yakup Almaç- were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC on 10 and 11 June 2012.

On 22 February 2012 Van Heavy Penal Court No. 4 went on hearing the case against 13 defendants -7 pre-trial detainees-. The confidential witnesses were not brought to court although the court had adjudicated as such. The lawyers protested the situation and the court adjourned the hearing to 29 March 2013.

(02/160) Intervention to the workers’ protest in Adıyaman Province…

Güçlü İplik Factory’s workers had been laid off on the grounds that they had become members of the trade union in Adıyaman Province. On 22 February 2013 police teams interfered the workers’ sit in strike in front of the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Province Branch office with gas bombs and detained four workers.

(02/162) Tried juveniles…

Police teams had interfered to the protest against the incommunicado prison conditions of Abdullah Öcalan in Nusaybin District of Mardin Province on 12 October 2011 and detained 16 juveniles.

A case was launched against the six out of the 16 juveniles 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 “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” and resisting police officers”. On 21 February 2013 Nusaybin Penal Court of First Instance began to hear the case. The court heard the legal arguments of A.Ö. (14), S.Ç. (13) and S.B. (13) and adjudicated to demand the social evaluation report of the juveniles. The hearing was adjourned to 13 May 2013.

(02/163) Arrested party executive…

BDP’s Siirt Province Branch executive Şeyhmus Gündüz had been detained in Siirt Province on 21 February 2013 on the grounds that he did not give his legal argument in the case in Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No.7 in connection with the march in Newala Qesaba (The Butchers’ Creek) in Siirt Province on 28 March 2011. He was brought to Diyarbakır Province and arrested on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law on 22 February 2013.

(02/164) Tried people…

On 22 February 2013 Mersin Penal Court of First Instance began to hear the case against the organising committee of the 8 March World Woman Workers’ Day in Mersin Province on 8 March 2012 on charges of “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”.

The court acquitted the seven defendants after hearing their legal argument in Kurdish.

(02/165) Ongoing KCK Case in Diyarbakır Province…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 95 defendants -43 of them are pre-trial detainees including BDP’s Bağlar District Chairperson Ali Yüce and Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Assembly member Abdulkadir Göktumur- 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 22 November 2011on charges of “constituting an illegal structure and acting in the context of it” on 22 February 2013.

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No.5 evaluated the allegations against the defendants and heard the defendants before adjourning the hearing.

(02/166) Coercion in Prison…

Feyyaz Aras, a pre-trial detainee in Edirne F Type of Closed Prison, was taken out of his dormitory on the grounds that he did not give legal argument in the security directorate and he was threatened by two persons who introduced themselves as security directors in the room for lawyer visits, reported on 22 February 2013.

(02/167) Racist attack in Hatay Province…

Approximately 500 people besieged the hall that the BDP’s Hatay Province Branch Congress was held with the participation of co-chairperson Selahattin Demirtaş in Hatay Province on 23 February 2013. The waited around the building with chanting slogans and attacked with stones to the buses that were carrying the party members. Several people were wounded in the attack and material damage took place in the buses.

(02/169) Intervention to the march in Kocaeli Province…

Police teams interfered the march of the members of the Halkevleri to commemorate the 81st anniversary of their foundation in Kocaeli Province on 24 February 2013, and detained 18 people.

(02/170) Tried People…

A case was launched in connection with the 8 March World Woman Workers’ Day in Diyarbakır Province on 4 March 2012 against BDP Diyarbakır Province Co-chairperson Zübeyde Zümrüt, Organising Committee Chairperson Gülsün Altan, Peace Mothers’ Initiative member Rebia (Havva) Kıran and announcers of the meeting Zeynep Düşün and Remziye Güzel on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law reported on 24 February 2013.

The first hearing of the case will be in Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 7 on 15 April 2013.

(02/171) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Police teams interfered the fight between the football players of Ereğli Belediyespor and the funs of the rival team (Erdemirspor) by spraying tear gas and 4 players were hospitalised in Ereğli District of Zonguldak Province on 23 February 2013.

(02/172) Racist attack in Ağrı Province…

Kurdish males from Ağrı Province who went to Ağrı Mechanized Brigade Command No. 12 for their compulsory military service were beaten by soldiers on 24 February 2013. Nine people were wounded in the incident.

(02/173) Coercion in prison…

Ten prisoners from Malatya E Type of Closed Prison were transferred to Kastamonu E Type of Closed Prison against their will reported on 19 February 2013.

 

26 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/174) Child hit by army vehicle…

Mizgin Bingöl (17) was seriously wounded with the hit of the armoured vehicle of the army which was speeding in Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 25 February 2013.

(02/175) Coercion in prison…

The administration of Malatya E Type of Closed Prison sentenced prisoner Rıza Şahin to ban of communication instruments for 4 months and ban of visits for 10 months on the grounds that he has been redundantly chanting marches in his solitary confinement reported on 25 February 2013.

(02/176) Fire in prison…

Three prisoners and two guardians were hospitalised due to the fire started in the juvenile’s and temporary dormitories in Şanlıurfa E Type of Closed Prison on 25 February 2013.

(02/177) Ongoing KCK Case in Adana Province…

On 25 February 2013 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 10 went on hearing the case against 54 people -13 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to the “KCK Investigation” in Adana Province on 6 March 2012. The court heard the legal argument of the defendants in Kurdish and released 9 pre-trial detainees including the DİHA reporter Özlem Ağuş.

(02/178) Ongoing KCK Case in Iğdır Province…

On 25 February 2013 Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No. 4 began to hear the case against 7 people -6 pre-trial detainees- including Elif Dağgöl, the Vice Mayor of Iğdır Province, who had been subjected to the “KCK Investigation” in Iğdır Province on 26 November 2012.

The court released the six pre-trial detainees after determining the identities of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 15 April 2013.

(02/179) Banned poster…

Denizli Governorate banned the poster of the Labour Party’s (Emek Partisi) posters against the Patriot Missile Systems that had been brought to Turkey and the likely military intervention to Syria due to the images and the photograph of Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on charges of “insulting Turkishness” and “insulting public officer due to his duty” on 25 February 2013.

 

27 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/180) Nolle prosequi decision…

Sinan Işık had been beaten by his corporal İ.H.D. saying “I will make a joke to you” during his compulsory military service in the Military Hospital in Kasımpaşa Quarter of İstanbul Province on 25 February 2012. His spleen had to be removed due to torture. The prosecutor decided nolle prosequi on the official complaint on the grounds that the corporal moved with the intention of making joke.

(02/181) Convicted People…

On 25 February 2013 Kocaeli Penal Court of First Instance No. 3 went on hearing the case against 46 students who had been detained in the protest against President Abdullah Gül during his visit to Kocaeli University on 6 April 2012. The court sentenced the defendants to 5 months of imprisonment each on charges of “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” and acquitted from the charges of ““resisting public officers due to his duty”.

(02/182) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Mazlum Dinç were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 26 February 2013 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(02/183) Tried People…

On 26 February 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against six defendants including Grup Yorum member Seçkin Aydoğan who had been detained in home raids in Nurtepe Quarter of Kâğıthane District of İstanbul Province on 13 December 2011.

The prosecutor announced his legal argument on the essence of the case against the defendants -Melis Ciddioğlu, Cemray Baş, Seçkin Aydoğan, Gürkan Türkoğlu, Eser Morsümbül and Hazal Kaya- and asked their imprisonment up to 10 years and 3 months of imprisonment to 39 years and 6 months of imprisonment 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, “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”, “resisting public officers due to his duty” and “harming public goods”. The hearing was adjourned for the preparation of the legal argument of the defendants on the essence of the case.

(02/184) Tried person…

DİSK General Chairperson Kemal Türkler had been killed in front of his house İstanbul Province on 22 July 1980. A case was launched against Nilgün Soydan, the daughter of Kemal Türkler, in connection with her speech on the murders in the anniversary of the murder of Kemal Türkler, in front of the tomb of him on 22 July 2012.

26 February 2013 İstanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 55 began to hear the case that was launched with the official complaint of the MHP İstanbul Deputy Celal Adan –one of the defendants of the murder case who had acquitted- on charges of “insulting and “threatening”. The court heard Nilgün Soydan and adjourned the hearing to 21 June 2013.

(02/185) Tried People…

Yusuf Demir and Ünal Şengezer who had been detained with another person in home raids in İstanbul Province on 18 October 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation -TKP ML/TİKKO” under Article 314 of TPC on 20 October 2012.

On 26 February 2013 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 began to hear the case against the three defendants on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC and “having explosives”. The court adjourned the hearing to 30 April 2013 after hearing their legal arguments.

(02/186) Closure cases against associations…

Van Chief Public Prosecution Office prepared an indictment for the closure of 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 according to the Law on the Prevention of Finance of Terrorism.

The case was accepted by Van Penal Court of First Instance and the case against the 10 association will be heard soon.

(02/187) Ongoing “DHKP/C Investigation” operation…

Fighting with Terror Department police officers had raided on houses, workplaces and institutes in 28 provinces on 19 February 2013.

SES Hatay Branch Chairperson Ahmet Aras, Eğitim Sen Hatay Branch Chairperson Ayhan Erkal and Merih Şanlı who had been detained in Antakya Province and then released later were arrested with the objection of the prosecutor on 26 February 2013.

(02/188) Fighting with Terrorism Law in practise…

H.K. (17) was detained in home raid on the grounds that he wrote “Serok/leader Apo” on the walls in Muş Province on 26 February 2013.

(02/189) Home raids in Erzurum Province…

Police teams detained 4 people in home raids on the grounds that they had participated in various actions in Karayazı District of Erzurum Province on 26 February 2013.

 

28 February 2013 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/190) Cross-border operation…

Four militants were reportedly killed in the air attack of the Turkish Armed Forces to the Kandil Mountain region in the Federal Kurdistan Region in Northern Iraq on 26 February 2013.

(02/191) Ongoing KCK/TM Case in Şanlıurfa Province…

On 27 February 2013 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No.5 went on hearing the case against 28 defendants -4 pre-trial detainees- who had been subjected to KCK operation in Şanlıurfa Province in 2010 including Şanlıurfa Deputy İbrahim Ayhan on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC.

The court sentenced 19 people to 6 years and 3months of imprisonment each; pre-trial detainees Azize Yağız, Adile Fidan, Mikail Gözek to 10 years of imprisonment and acquitted four defendants.

The court separated the files of Şanlıurfa Deputy İbrahim Ayhan and the BDP’s Assembly member Mahmut Çelik and decided to inform the next hearing to their lawyers.

(02/192) Attack on Kurdish workers in Eskişehir Province…

Four Kurdish construction workers were attacked by the inhabitants of Çamlıca Quarter of Tepebaşı District of Eskişehir Province with knives and sticks on 27 February 2013. Two of them were hospitalised to Osmangazi University Medicine Faculty Hospital and the other two were put into custody.

(02/193) Confiscated posters in Diyarbakır Province…

The posters that were hanged on the billboards for the meeting of “8 March World Woman Workers’ Day” in Diyarbakır Province which will be held on 3 March 2013 were banned Diyarbakır Judicature No. 1 (Authorised by the Article 10 of the ATL) with the complaint of Diyarbakır Governorate on 27 February 2013.