GENERAL REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) – December 2012

01-05 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

(12/001) Home raids in Şanlıurfa Province…

Fifteen people were detained in the synchronised home raids of the Anti-Terror Teams on the grounds that they participated in the marches to support the hunger strikes in prisons in Viranşehir District of Şanlıurfa Province on 4 December 2012.

(12/002) Arrested people in Bitlis Province…

An investigation had been launched against 5 people on the grounds that they participated in the marches to support the hunger strikes in prisons in Bitlis Province on 11 November 2012. They were arrested on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” on 3 December 2012.

(12/003) Home raids in Mersin Province…

7 people were detained in the synchronised home raids of the Anti-Terror Teams in Mersin Province on 4 December 2012.

(12/004) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Nine people were detained in the synchronised home raids of the Anti-Terror Teams on the grounds that they participated in the marches to support the hunger strikes in prisons in Hakkâri Province on 4 December 2012.

(12/005) Case against the victim of torture and ill-treatment in İstanbul…

Ahmet Koca (23) had been beaten by ten police officers as he was stopped in road check on the grounds that he talked Kurdish on the phone in Fatih District of İstanbul Province on 18 June 2012.

Ministry of Interior Affairs had launched an investigation after the footage that documents the incident revealed out and five police officers -M.A., A.D., A.E., F.K., S.A.- were removed from office on 20 June 2012.

Istanbul Governorate removed two others on 21 June 2012 and an investigation was launched against Ahmet Koca on charges of “insulting” and resisting police officers”.

İstanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment against Ahmet Koca with the official complaint of the police officers that got reports that they were “beaten” and “unable to work for five days” and asked for the imprisonment of him up to five years. The indictment was sent to İstanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 30 to be evaluated on 2 July 2012.

On 4 December 2012 İstanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 30 began to hear the case against Ahmet Koca on charges of beating 7 police officers who did not participate in the hearing. Ahmet Koca’s lawyer Efkan Bolaç stated that his client has been serving his obligatory military service and because of that he was not present in the hearing. The court adjudicated to bring the complainant officers in the next hearing that will be held on 5 March 2013.

(12/006) Intervention to the students’ action in Bursa Province…

Nine students were detained and two others were wounded during the interventions of the police teams to the Uludağ University (Bursa) students who attempted to erect a tent with a placard “Released the captive members of the Revolutionary youth (Dev-Genç) in Bursa Province on 2 December 2012.

(12/007) Tried lawyers…

On 30 November 2012 İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 7 began to hear the case against Lawyer Nezahat Paşa Bayraktar in connection with the legal argument she made after the decline of the demand of her client to make his/her legal argument in Kurdish on charges of “insulting public officers”. The court heard the legal argument of the defendant and adjudicated to ask the documents of the case from İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 10 and adjourned the hearing to 15 January 2013.

(12/008) KCK operation in Erzurum Province…

Six out of the nine detainees who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Karayazı District of Erzurum Province on 27 November 2012 were arrested in the framework of KCK investigation on 1 December 2012.

(12/009) Coercion in prison…

Cemil Erdem, a convict in Tekirdağ F Type Prison No. 1, who has been a patient of throat cancer patient, was transferred to Edirne Medicine Faculty Oncology Department on the grounds that his well-being is deteriorating reported on 1 December 2012.

(12/010) The case of Ayhan Efeoğlu…

İstanbul University’s student Ayhan Efeoğlu had been detained in İstanbul Province on 6 October 1992 and no one knows where his whereabouts since then. Former Special Task Force police officer Ayhan Çarkın described the place where Efeoğlu had been buried. After that members of the the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) excavated the place in Silivri District of İstanbul Province on 1 December 2012. Two small bones, a cardigan and a piece of rug were found and the prosecutor confiscated them to be evaluated.

(12/011) Intervention to the workers’ action in İstanbul Province…

Workers of the Darkmen Textile had been laid off on the grounds that they did not work on 30 August 2012 which is an official vacation “Victory Feast”. Police teams interfered the public statement of the workers in front of Darkmen Shop in Aksaray District of İstanbul Province on 1 December 2012 and detained 11 workers. Lawyer Naciye Demir a member of the Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği/Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) was also beaten in the incident.

(12/012) Convicted juveniles…

On 27 November 2012 Mersin Penal Court for Juveniles No. 2 finalised the case against three juveniles – H.A., S.E. and S.D.- who had been detained in the protest on the grounds that they had thrown rocks to the officers in Toroslar District of Mersin Province on 31 December 2011 and released later.

The court sentenced S.E. 20 years of imprisonment and to a fine of 85 bin TL 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 Fighting with Terrorism Law, “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”, “having illegal explosives” and “harming public goods”; S.D. to 16 years of imprisonment and to a fine of 65 bin TL with the same charges; H.A. to 15 years of imprisonment and to a fine of 65 bin TL.

(12/013) Operations and clashes in south-east…

Another militant was killed in the clash between Turkish Armed Forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) armed wing People’s Defence Forces (HPG) in the rural part of Doğubayazıt District of Ağrı Province on 10 November 2012 reported 1 December 2012.

(12/014) Arrested party worker…

Sinan Kaya, Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) General Centre worker who had been detained in Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 30 November 2012 was arrested on 2 December 2012.

(12/015) Coercion in prison…

Eleven prisoners from Adıyaman E Type Prison and 6 prisoners from İnebolu (Kastamonu) M Type Prison were transferred to Tekirdağ F Type Prison against their will and they were beaten in the entrance reported on 2 December 2012.

(12/016) Armed attack in Mersin Province…

Two police officers were wounded in the attack on the police vehicle in Mersin Province on 2 December 2012.

(12/017) Coercion in prison…

Four prisoners -Rıza Şahin, Cem Aslan, Murat Çeçen and Mehmet Ali Aslan- were beaten in their unit in Malatya E Type Prison and taken into the observation room reported on 1 December 2012.

(12/018) Detained people in Tunceli Province…

Two members of the Rights Association/Haklar Derneği Ünal Çimen and Cihan Days were detained as they were walking in the street in Tunceli Province on 1 December 2012

(12/019) Convicted students…

On 30 November 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 finalised the case against 5 students of Dicle University -Nildays Özkaran, Derya Moray, Cuma Karakuş, Ramazan Durmaz and Eray Ölçen- in connection with participating with the commemoration of Aydın Erdem who had been killed in Diyarbakır Province on 6 December 2009 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Fighting with Terrorism Law, “hindering the right of education”, “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.

The court sentenced Nildays Özkaran to 8 years, 4 months and 18 days of imprisonment, Derya Moray to 12 years, 6 months and 22 days of imprisonment, Cuma Karakuş to 7 years, 11 months and 18 days of imprisonment, Eray Ölçen to 7 years, 11 months and 18 days of imprisonment and Ramazan Durmaz to 17 years and 6 months of imprisonment.

(12/020) Tried juveniles…

On 16 November 2012 Mersin Penal Court for Juveniles No. 1 began to hear the case against 6 juveniles -A.K, F.E, E.Y, T.Ç, R.Y and S.Y.- who had been detained in the protest in Newroz Celebrations on the grounds that they had thrown rocks to the officers in Akdeniz District of Mersin Province on 20 March 2012 and released later.

The court declined the demand of the defendant to make his legal argument in Kurdish on the grounds that there was not a Kurdish speaker officer in the court and adjourned the hearing to 5 February 2013.

(12/021) Operations and clashes in south-east…

Three militants were killed in the clash in the rural part between Arıcak District of Elazığ Province and Genç District of Bingöl Province on 1 December 2012.

(12/022) Intervention to the students’ action in Bursa Province…

Fifteen students were detained during the interventions of the police teams to the Uludağ University (Bursa) students who attempted to erect a tent with a placard “Released the captive members of the Revolutionary youth (Dev-Genç) in Bursa Province on 3 December 2012.

(12/023) Finalised KCK Case in Bitlis…

The KCK case against 30 defendants who had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the KCK investigation in Tatvan District of Bitlis Province on 19 January 2011 was finalised on 3 December 2012.

Van Heavy Penal Court No. 3 sentenced DİHA reporter Sinan Aygül to 10 years; BDP’s General Centre’s workers Şaban Tan and Cemil Tokat to 12 years each; Eğitim-Sen Tatvan Representative Yüksel Ozan to 11 years and 4 months; BDP’s General Centre’s worker Şaize Çelik, BDP members Erdinç Tülay, Celal Orak and Abdulmenaf Orak to 10 years each; 19 people including DİHA reporter İslim Uçan, SES Bitlis Branch Chairperson Sedat Güler- to 6 years and 3 months each and acquitted three defendants.

(12/024) Tried People…

On 7 December 2012 Mersin Penal Court of First Instance No. 11 will begin to hear the case against the 7 members of the organising committee of the march of “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 prosecutor asked for their imprisonment up to 5 years.

(12/025) Armed attack in Batman Province…

A.B., a police officer in plain clothes patrolling in the vicinity of Aydınkonak Village of Batman Province on 3 December 2012, was wounded in the armed attack.

(12/026) Tried Writer…

On 14 November 2012 Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 went on hearing the case against Writer Temel Demirer in connection with his speech in the public statement on the murder of Hrant Dink in Ankara Province on charges of “insulting Turkish Nation, the Republic of Turkey, the organs and institutions of the State” under Article 301 of TPC. The hearing was adjourned to 19 February 2013.

(12/027) Tried Students…

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 3 December 2012 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 declined the demand of the lawyer and prolonged the pre-trial detention period and adjourned the hearing to 22 January 2013.

(12/028) Explosion in Ağrı Province…

Hüsnü Yiğit (36) was killed and Ali Sökmen (12) was wounded in the explosion of the land mine as they were pastoring their herd in the vicinity of Kızılkaya Village of Doğubayazıt District of Ağrı Province on 2 December 2012.

(12/029) Intervention to the protest against Putin…

Three members of the Cherkes Rights Initiative who attempted to make a public statement to protest President Vladimir Putin in front of the office of the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Dolmabahçe Palace in İstanbul Province on 3 December 2012 were detained.

(12/030) Finalised extra-judicial killing case…

The case on the murder of Aykut Sarıpoyra (16) by police officers on the grounds that he did not obey the stop warning in Keçiören District of Ankara Province on 1 September 2006 was finalised.

On 4 December 2012 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 7 sentenced Police Officer Ziya Sürer to 13 years of imprisonment on charges of “homicide as a result of intentional wounding” and then commuted the sentence to 10 years and 10 months of imprisonment due to good conduct in hearings.

(12/031) Alaattin Karadağ Case…

On 3 December 2012 Bakırköy Heavy Penal Court No. 9 went on hearing the case against Police officer Oğuzhan Vural in connection with killing 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 adjudicated to wait for the report of the Forensic Medicine Institute on the bullet that had been taken out of the body of İsmail Durmuş who had been wounded in the incident and to determine the address of the witness Pakize Ilgaz before adjourning the hearing to 28 February 2013.

(12/032) Coercion in prison…

The administration of Kırıklar (İzmir) F Type Prison No. 2 banned 27 prisoners from communication for one month, banned 38 prisoners from cultural and sportive activities for one month, banned 145 prisoners from communication for two months and banned 63 prisoners from visits for 2 months in connection with making or supporting hunger strikes and protesting the practices of the administration, reported on 3 December 2012.

The administration also sentenced 21 prisoners to a total 147 days of solitary confinement on the grounds that there are holes on the walls between the units and their gardens.

Moreover 79 prisoners were banned from communication for one month and 28 prisoners banned from visits for one month on the grounds that they shouted the slogan “Human dignity will overcome the torture” after the prisoner Salih Selçuk was forced to change his unit.

(12/033) Explosion in Şırnak Province…

Ahmet Taşar (62) was wounded in the explosion of the land mine as he was pastoring his herd in the vicinity of İkizce Village of Şırnak Province on 4 December 2012.

(12/034) Operations and clashes in south-east…

Specialised Sergeant Ömer Tunçbilek who had been wounded in the rural part of Çukurca District of Hakkâri Province on 25 November 2012 died in the hospital in Ankara Province on 4 December 2012.

(12/035) Tried Deputy…

On 4 December 2012Ankara Chief Public Prosecution Office adjudicated to postpone the investigation against the BDP Batman Deputy Bengi Yıldız in connection with his speeches in on 30-31 March 2008 for three 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.

(12/036) Tried People…

On 4 December 2012 İzmir Penal Court of Peace No. 2 went on hearing the case against five actors –including Yenikapı Theatre General Art Director Nazlı Masatçı- in connection with the theatre play that they had performed to support conscientious objector İnan Süver in İzmir Province on charges of “alienating people from military service” under Article 318 of TPC. The hearing was adjourned to 11 December 2012.

 

06 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/038) Operations and clashes in south-east…

Three soldiers were wounded in the explosion in the Garrison Command in Cizre District of Şırnak Province on 4 December 2012 and 6 people were detained in the operation after the explosion.

(12/039) Operations and clashes in south-east…

Thirteen militants were killed and 5 militants were apprehended in the clash between Turkish Armed Forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) armed wing People’s Defence Forces (HPG) in the Amanos Mountains region in Osmaniye Province on 3 December 2012.

 

(12/041) Convicted Students…

The case against the 21 students -8 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in the KCK operation against the members of the Democratic Patriotic Youth Assembly/Demokratik Yurtsever Gençlik Meclisi Antalya Province on 19 Mart 2010, was finalised on 5 December 2012. The court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish.

İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 10 sentenced Hülya Dikme and Yasin Dilim to 61 years 6 months of imprisonment and to a fine of 6.000 TL each; Veysi Kaya and Ebru Güden to 39 years each; Ozan Esen to 53 years and 3 months and to a fine of 6.000 TL; Ercan Aslan to 48 years and 8 months and to a fine of 3 bin TL; Mesut Özcan to 50 years and 3 months and to a fine of 3.000 TL; Mekan Aslan to 33 years and 8 months and to a fine of 3.000 TL; Hüsnü İke and İhsan Yıldız to 29 years and 3 months and to a fine of 3.000 TL each; Hasan Çetin and Berivan Bayındır to 5 years and a month each; Mehmet Tahir Çelik to 36 years and to a fine of 3.000 TL; Berivan Eker to 28 years and 5 months; Bekir Apak to 19 years and 6 months, Bayram Özdemir 19 years and 5 months, Davut Tanrıverdi to 12 years; Hasan İke to 5 years and 6 months, Sedat Çelebi 9 years and 5 months and Fesih Aslan to 5 years. Twenty (20) defendants were sentenced to a total of 590 years and 9 months of imprisonment and to a fine of 36.000 TL.

The court adjudicated to prolong the pre-trial detention period of the pre-trial detainees -Veysi Kaya, Ozan Esen, Mekan Aslan, Mesut Özcan, Yasin Dilim, Ercan Aslan, Hülya Dikme and Ebru Güden- and arrest the other defendants -İhsan Yıldız, Bekir Apak, Bayram Özdemir, Sedat Çelebi, Fesih Aslan, Hüsnü İke, Berivan Eker, Mehmet Tahir Çelik, Medeni Varol and Davut Tanrıverdi.

(12/042) Convicted people…

On 4 December 2012 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 3 sentenced Derya Taşkıran to 7 years and a month; Gönül Bozkurt to 8 years and 9 months; Rıza Şahin to 7 years and a month; Cem Aslan to 8 years to 2 months; Atilla Ögeyik to 6 years 3 months; Murat Çeçen to 6 years and 3 months 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.

The defendants had been arrested in the operation against the members of the Haklar Derneği in Elazığ, Tunceli and Malatya Provinces on 8 May 2012.

(12/043) Ongoing KCK Case in Ankara Province…

On 6 June 2012 sixty-one students of health sciences had been detained in 8 provinces in the KCK operation administered from Ankara Province and thirteen of them -Tuncay Gökçen, Ahmet Demirer, Birhat Şimşek, Mehmet Aydın, Mehmet Budak, Mustafa Akın, Özgür Mert Bakan, Fatih Sultan Altın, Recep Kar, Zülküf Akelma, Perişan Akan, Mustafa Karakut, Ahmet Karer- had been arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” and “praising crime and criminal” on 9 June 2012.

Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 13 began to hear the case against 43 students -13 pre-trial detainees- on 5 December 2012. The court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and released the pre-trial detainees after having their legal arguments. The next hearing will be held on 4 March 2013.

(12/044) Home raids in Bitlis Province…

7 people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” in Bitlis Province on 5 December 2012.

(12/045) Home raids in Muş Province…

Four people including TUHAD-DER Muş Branch Chairperson Ali Rıza Barutçu were detained in synchronised home raids of the in Muş Province and its Suluca Village on 5 December 2012.

(12/046) Intervention to the funeral in Diyarbakır Province…

Thirteen people were detained during the intervention to the funeral of HPG militants Hakan Ceylan and Hicran Gersiyor, who had been killed in rural part of Genç District of Bingöl Province, in Diyarbakır Province on 2 December 2012. The detainees were released on 5 December 2012.

(12/047) Intervention to the students’ action in Bursa Province…

Five students were detained and two others were wounded during the interventions of the police teams to the Uludağ University (Bursa) students who attempted to erect a tent with a placard “Released the captive members of the Revolutionary youth (Dev-Genç) in Bursa Province on 5 December 2012.

 

07 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/048) Coercion in prison…

Six visitors of the prisoners in Karataş (Adana) Kadın Prison were beaten by gendarmerie soldiers and two of them -Gülşah Balkır and Zeynep Dağ- were detained on the grounds that they objected to the search of their shoes and hug the prisoners reported on 6 December 2012.

(12/049) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 6 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(12/050) Acquitted People…

Eskişehir Penal Court of Peace No. 4 went on hearing the case against the conscientious objectors Ahmet Aydemir, Davut Erkan, Fatih Tezcan, Halil Savda and Mehmet Atak, in connection with shouting “everyone is born as a baby not a soldier” slogan in the hearing of in which Enver Aydemir had been sentenced on charges of “alienating people from military service” under Article 318 of TPC on 28 September 2012.

Eskişehir Martial Court had sentenced conscientious objector Enver Aydemir to ten months of imprisonment on 29 March 2010.

The court adjudicated the defendants on the grounds that the slogans do not include violence and do not subvert the democratic social peace.

(12/051) Convicted journalist…

On 5 December 2012 Ankara Law Court of First Instance No. 4 sentenced Ahmet Altan, editor-in-chief of Taraf Newspaper, to reparation of 15.000 TL as damages for pain and suffering to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in connection with his article titled “State Flattering and Moral” published on 4 January 2012.

The case on the same article on charges of “insulting a public officer due to the performance of his public duty” under Article 125 of TPC in Kadıköy (İstanbul) Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 is still pending.

(12/052) Tried singer…

It was learned that the investigation on the speech of the singer Ferhat Tunç that he had held as a candidate in Tunceli Province for the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block during the general elections of 12 June, on 1 May Labor Day concluded. Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 3 had accepted the indictment against Ferhat Tunç on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.

On 6 December 2012 Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 3 went on hearing the case and adjudicated to postpone the prosecution against the defendant for three 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.

(12/053) Home raids in Gaziantep Province…

Six people were detained on the grounds that they have been making propaganda of the illegal organization in facebook.com under the page titled “Dilok Gençliği” in Gaziantep Province on 6 December 2012.

(12/054) Detained Students…

Two Dicle University students were detained before the march for the commemoration of Aydın Erdem who had been killed in the protest in Diyarbakır Province on 6 December 2009 on the grounds that they are the organisers of the march on 6 December 2012.

(12/055) Home raids in Muş Province…

Four people including TUHAD-DER Muş Branch Chairperson Ali Rıza Barutçu who had been detained in synchronised home raids of the in Muş Province and its Suluca Village on 5 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 6 December 2012.

(12/056) Home raids in Bitlis Province…

Four out of the 7 people who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Bitlis Province on 5 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 6 December 2012.

 

08-10 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/057) Armed attack in İstanbul Province…

Two police officers and Nebiha Aracı, who allegedly one of the two persons that conducted the attack and member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C), were wounded in the attack on Yenibosna 75th Years Police Station in Bahçelievler District of İstanbul Province on 8 December 2012. One of the perpetrators run away and the hand grenade that was thrown to the station did not exploded. Police teams interfered the members of the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) who went to Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital to get information on the well-being of Nebiha Aracı and detained 10 of them.

(12/058) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Police teams interfered the quarrel between the sides of the pending divorce case and beat İsmail Korkmaz and Ökkeş Korkmaz (60) so that Korkmaz’s femur was fractured in Gaziantep Province on 9 November 2012.

(12/059) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

V.C., Anatolian high School student was reportedly beaten by the guard of the district governor on the grounds that he objected the governor when he said that he will not help for the solution of the problems in the dormitory of the school in Gürpınar District of Van Province on 7 December 2012.

(12/060) Attack on party building…

Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) district branch office was destroyed with Molotov cocktails in Gercüş District of Batman Province on 6 December 2012.

(12/061) Violence in nursery…

An investigation launched against the teacher M.S. with the official complaint of his/her student F.Y. (11) who claimed that he was beaten and threatened by M.S. in Süleyman Yançatoral Nursery affiliated to Familşy and Social Policies Province Directorate in Samsun Province on 7 December 2012.

(12/062) Closed association…

Şırnak Law Court of First Instance adjudicated to shut down the Mir Celadet Bedirxan Kültür-Sanat ve Tarih Derneği which had been active in Cizre District of Şırnak Province whit the official complaint of the Şırnak Governorate in connection with having the “x” character in its name on the grounds that “the associations use Turkish in their ledgers, records and in their correspondences with the official institutes of the Republic of Turkey” under Article 31 of the Associations Law reported on 7 December 2012.

(12/063) Coercion in prison…

Emin Behçet, a prisoner in Osmaniye T Type Prison stated to his family that the letters that had been sent him were not given to him in last 3 months 9 December 2012.

(12/064) Tried people…

The first hearing of the case against 22 people who had been protested the murder of Metin Lokumcu in the very same day in Rize Province will be held in 11 December 2012. Metin Lokumcu was killed with the excessive use of the gas bombs on the protestors in Hopa District of Artvin Province on 31 May 2011.

(12/065) Ongoing KCK Operations…

Sixteen people including Mayor Selim Sadak in Siirt, 40 people in Mardin, 31 people in Batman and total 87 people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the KCK investigation in Batman, Siirt, Mardin Provinces and its districts on 8 December 2012.

(12/066) Tried People…

On 7 December 2012 Mersin Penal Court of First Instance No. 11 began to hear the case against the 7 members of the organising committee of the march of “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 adjourned the hearing to 22 February 2013 after hearing the legal arguments of the defendants.

(12/067) Home raids in Şanlıurfa Province…

Three out of the fifteen people who had been detained in the synchronised home raids of the Anti-Terror Teams on the grounds that they participated in the marches to support the hunger strikes in prisons in Viranşehir District of Şanlıurfa Province on 4 December 2012 were arrested on 7 December 2012.

(12/068) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Four out of the nine people who had been detained in the synchronised home raids of the Anti-Terror Teams on the grounds that they participated in the marches to support the hunger strikes in prisons in Hakkâri Province on 4 December 2012 were arrested on 8 December 2012.

 

11 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/069) 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.

(12/070) The case on prison shuttle…

Five convicts -Abdülsetter Ölmez (35), Sinan Aşka (18), İsmet Evin (33), Akif Karabalı (24) and Medeni Demir (47)- had died in the fire in the prison shuttle in the vicinity of Pınarbaşı District of Kayseri Province on 16 September 2011 as they had been transferred from Van to İstanbul Province. The doors were locked and their hands were cuffed.

Kayseri Heavy Penal Court No. 1 went on hearing the case against the driver C.S., gendarmerie commander, İ.B., and the vice commander M.K. of the prison shuttle on charges of “causing death of the more than one person with negligence” on 10 December 2012.

 

Kayseri Heavy Penal Court No. 1 declined the demand for the arrest of the defendants and adjudicated get their legal arguments with court order; hear the witnesses; ask to the producer whether there is an emergency exit in the vehicle or not; and demand the documents of the vehicle from the Ministry of Justice.

(12/071) Ongoing investigation on torture and ill-treatment in İstanbul Province …

Ahmet Koca (23) had been beaten by ten police officers as he was stopped in road check on the grounds that he talked Kurdish on the phone in Fatih District of İstanbul Province on 18 June 2012.

Ministry of Interior Affairs had launched an investigation after the footage that documents the incident revealed out and five police officers -M.A., A.D., A.E., F.K., S.A.- were removed from office on 20 June 2012.

Istanbul Governorate removed two others on 21 June 2012 and an investigation was launched against Ahmet Koca on charges of “insulting” and resisting police officers”.

İstanbul Security Directorate’s Discipline Committee finalised its investigation and sentenced 4 police officers to 16 months of degradation of seniority, and four others were found innocent. One of the police officers who subjected to degradation will be discharged and others work locations were changed reported on 11 December 2012.

(12/072) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in İstanbul Province…

İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 5 October 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, İrfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, İsmail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

After the court heard the page 671 of the indictment the court adjourned the hearing to 11 December 2012. The hearing will be continuous until 21 December 2012.

(12/073) Finalised KCK Case in Bingöl Province…

Karlıova Mayor Ferit Çelik, Municipal Assembly member Ahmet Demirbaş, BDP’s Province Executive Abdullah Solmaz had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Bingöl Province and its Karlıova District on 5 April 2012 and arrested in the framework of KCK investigation on the same day.

On 10 December 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 7 sentenced three defendants to 8 years and 9 months imprisonment each on charges of “intentionally helping to the illegal organisation although not affiliated to the hierarchy of it”.

(12/074) Armed attack in İstanbul Province…

Two police officers and Nebiha Aracı, who allegedly one of the two persons that conducted the attack and member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C), were wounded in the sattack on Yenibosna 75th Years Police Station in Bahçelievler District of İstanbul Province on 8 December 2012. One of the perpetrators run away and the hand grenade that was thrown to the station did not explode. Police teams interfered to the members of the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) who went to Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital to get information on the well-being of Nebiha Aracı and detained 18 of them on 10 December 2012.

(12/075) KCK operation in İstanbul Province…

Sixteen people -2 journalists- were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the KCK investigation in İstanbul Province on 10 December 2012.

(12/076) Home raids in İstanbul Province…

Twenty-five people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the DHKP/C operation in İstanbul Province on 10 December 2012.

(12/077) Arrested Students…

Two Dicle University students -Şevin Batu and Özge Torun- who had been detained before the march for the commemoration of Aydın Erdem who had been killed in the protest in Diyarbakır Province on 6 December 2009 on the grounds that they are the organisers of the march on 6 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 10 December 2012.

(12078) Ongoing KCK Operations…

Sixteen people including Mayor Selim Sadak in Siirt, 40 people in Mardin, 31 people in Batman and total 87 people had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the KCK investigation in Batman, Siirt, Mardin Provinces and its districts on 8 December 2012. Twenty-four out of the 31 detainees were arrested in Batman Province on 10 December 2012.

(12/079) Intervention to the students’ action in Kocaeli Province…

Eleven students were detained during the interventions of the police teams to the Kocaeli University students who attempted to erect a tent with a placard “Released the captive members of the Revolutionary youth (Dev-Genç) in İnsan Hakları (Human Rights) Park on 10 December 2012.

 

12 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/080) Armed attack in Istanbul Province…

Police officer Mücahit Daştan (32) was killed in the armed attack in Gaziosmanpaşa District of Istanbul Province on 11 December 2012. Three people were wounded in the incident and N.A., allegedly perpetrator of the murder was apprehended.

(12/081) Death in prison…

Hüseyin Boyraz (46) a pre-trial detainee in a murder case, was found death in his dormitory in Silivri (Istanbul) L Type Closed Prison No. 3 on 10 December 2012. An investigation was launched on the incident.

(12/082) Coercion in prison…

Kadir Yaramaz (27), a pre-trial detainee in Akhisar (Manisa) T Type Closed Prison had been beaten by 9 prisoners and they had poured boiling water on his back on 30 November 2012. He was released on 6 December 2012.

(12/083) Coercion in prison…

The juveniles who had been transferred from Pozantı (Adana) Prison for Juveniles to Sincan (Ankara) Prison for juveniles on the grounds that they had been tortured, ill-treated, raped in Pozantı, were reportedly tortured and ill-treated also in Sincan Prison reported on 9 May 2012. The commission that went to the prison after a complaint made to the Ankara Bar Association’s The Centre of the Rights of Juveniles on 17 April 2012, reported that the juveniles were tortured in the room named as “sponged”. With the official complaint of the Ankara Bar Association investigations were launched by both Ankara and Sincan Chief Public Prosecution Offices.

Sincan Chief Public Prosecution Office decided nolle prosequi against the 4 guardians on the grounds that there is not satisfactory evidence and “most of the victims did not make official complaint”, reported on 12 December 2012.

(12/084) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 11 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to Imralı Island was out of order.

(12/085) Convicted lawyers…

Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 8 sentenced Lawyers Tugay Bek and Sevil Aracı Bek to 3 years, 1 month and 13 days of imprisonment each in connection with participating in various election activities before the General Elections held on 12 June 2011 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law and “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC. The prosecutor had asked for their acquittal in his legal argument on the essence of the case.

 

(12/086) Convicted people…

On 11 December 2012 Izmir Penal Court of Peace No. 2 sentenced five actors –Ali Tektaş, Mine Çam, Hayati Karakaya, Onur Güler and Mert Zengin and Yenikapı Theatre General Art Director Nazlı Masatçı- to five months of imprisonment each in connection with the theatre play that they had performed to support conscientious objector Inan Süver in Izmir Province on charges of “alienating people from military service” under Article 318 of TPC.

(12/087) Tired person…

Antalya Penal Court of First Instance No. 18 began to hear the case against Lawyer Mevhibe Canan Arın in connection with her presentation in the seminar titled “Violence against Women and Judiciary on Women’s Rights” in Antalya Province on 3 December-4 December 2011 on charges of insulting the prophet of the Islam and the president” on 11 December 2012. The court adjourned the hearing to 19 January 2013 to get the legal argument of the defendant.

(12/088) Tired prisoners…

On 19 February 2013 Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22 will begin to hear the case against 10 pre-trial detainees -who had been in two different detention facilities of the courthouse due to the cases against them on 23 July 2012 Berfin Yağmur, Amine Demirkıran, Selma Mirzaoğlu from Bakırköy Prison for Females and Süleyman Özcan, Mehmet Taha Burakmak, Mehmet Özbek, Sadun Solhan, Şehmuz Öncel, Metin Mirzaoğlu and Fahri Akgül from Kandıra (Kocaeli) F Type Closed Prison No. 2- on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law by singing marches and songs, shouting in Kurdish and applauding.

Kurdish songs were translated by two soldiers serving their obligatory military service in Silivri Prison Gendarmerie.

(12/091) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Istanbul Province…

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 11 December 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, Irfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, Ismail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

Although the court adjudicated to go on the hearings without giving a break until 21 December 2012 the hearing was adjourned to 14 December 2012 due to Ergenekon Case which will be heard in the same hall.

Pre-trial detainee Lawyer Gönül Erdem reportedly fell down and her right arm was fractured.

(12/092) Ongoing KCK Operation…

Sixteen people including Mayor Selim Sadak in Siirt, 40 people in Mardin, 31 people in Batman and total 87 people had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the framework of the KCK investigation in Batman, Siirt, Mardin Provinces and its districts on 8 December 2012.

Twenty-four out of the 56 people who had been detained in Mardin and Siirt Provinces were arrested on 11 and 12 December 2012.

(12/093) Intervention to the students’ action in Kocaeli Province…

Ten students were detained during the interventions of the police teams to the Kocaeli University students who attempted to erect a tent with a placard “Released the captive members of the Revolutionary Youth (Dev-Genç) in Kocaeli Province on 11 December 2012.

(12/094) KCK operation in Tunceli Province…

Fifteen people were detained in raids on Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Province and District Branches, municipalities and houses of Fighting with Terror Department in Tunceli Province and its Nazımiye and Pertek District on 11 December 2012.

(12/095) Home raids in Adana Province…

Eleven members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) were detained in synchronised home raids of the Gendarmerie teams in Misis Municipality of Adana Province on 11 December 2012.

(12/096) Home raids in Şanlıurfa Province…

Five people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Birecik District of Şanlıurfa Province on 11 December 2012.

(12/097) Home raids in Mersin Province…

Five students of the Mersin University were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Mersin Province on 11 December 2012.

 

13 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/098) Coercion in prison…

Ninety prisoners from Şanlıurfa E Type Closed Prison were transferred to Şakran (Izmir) T Type Closed Prison against their consent reported on 12 December 2012.

(12/099) Coercion in prison…

Eleven prisoners who had been transferred from Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison No. 1 to Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison No. 2 were reportedly beaten and Feyyaz Güven was put into the dormitory of “impartial” prisoners against his will, reported on 12 December 2012.

(12/100) Tired people…

On 12 December 2012 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 10 went on hearing the case against 12 people who had allegedly participated in the commemoration activity for Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin Inan –who had been executed on 6 May 1972- in Gaziantep Province on 6 May 2012 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.

The court adjourned the hearing to 27 February 2013 after hearing the legal arguments of the defendants.

(12/101) Home raids in Bitlis Province…

Eight students were detained in the raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in the campus of Bitlis Eren University in Bitlis Province on 12 December 2012.

(12/102) Home raids in Bursa Province…

Ten people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Yıldırım District of Bursa Province on 11 December 2012.

(12/103) Home raids in Kütahya Province…

Four students of Dumlupınar University were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Kütahya Province on 12 December 2012.

(12/104) Home raids in Adana Province…

Five out of the 11 detainees who had been detained in home raids of gendarmerie teams in Misis Municipality of Adana Province on 11 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 12 December 2012.

(12/105) Intervention to the students’ action in Kocaeli Province…

Two students were detained during the interventions of the police teams to the Kocaeli University students who attempted to erect a tent with a placard “Released the captive members of the Revolutionary Youth (Dev-Genç) in Kocaeli Province on 12 December 2012.

(12/106) KCK operation in Istanbul Province…

Six –including Evrensel Newspaper’s reporter Sadiye Eser- out of the 16 detainees who had been detained in the framework of KCK investigation in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Istanbul Province on 10 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 13 December 2012.

(12/107) Armed attack in Istanbul Province…

Two police officers and Nebiha Aracı, who allegedly one of the two persons that conducted the attack and member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C), were wounded in the attack on Yenibosna 75th Years Police Station in Bahçelievler District of Istanbul Province on 8 December 2012. One of the perpetrators run away and the hand grenade that was thrown to the station did not exploded. Police teams interfered to the members of the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) who went to Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital to get information on the well-being of Nebiha Aracı and detained 10 of them. Ünzile Araz and Sadık Karaaslan out of the ten detainees were arrested on 12 December 2012.

 

14 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/108) Intervention to the protest in Istanbul Province…

Gendarmerie teams interfered to the groups with pressured water and gas bombs that gathered in front of the Silivri Prison Campus to attend the Ergenekon Case’s 270th Hearing 13 December 2012 in which the prosecutor said to present the court his legal argument on the essence of the case in Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13. Several people including the deputies were effected from the gas and the hearing was adjourned to 14 December 2012 on the grounds that the prosecutor did not present his legal argument.

 

(12/109) Coercion in prison…

Two out of the three convicts who had been transferred from Gümüşhane E Type Closed Prison to Bismil (Diyarbakır) K-2 Type Closed Prison were placed in solitary confinement units without heaters on the grounds that there was not any place in the dormitories and the other one was placed in the dormitory of the non-political prisoners reported on 13 December 2012.

(12/110) Home raids in Bursa Province…

Hasan Yentürk and Murat Yentürk out of the 10 detainees who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Yıldırım District of Bursa Province on 11 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 13 December 2012.

(12/111) Coercion in prison…

Gülçin Usal applied to Diyarbakır Branch of the Human Rights Association/Insan Hakları Derneği (IHD) and stated that his Sedat Usal, a prisoner in Amasya E Type Closed Prison, was sentenced to solitary confinement for 11 days on the grounds that “they named some of the regions on world map as Kurdistan and Mesopotamia” reported on 13 December 2012.

(12/112) Ongoing extra-judicial killing case in Mardin Province…

Yusuf Akın (38) was killed Mehmet Eren (48) was wounded with the gendarmerie fire in the rural part of Heybeli Village of Nusaybin District of Mardin Province 20 December 2011 on the grounds that they were PKK militants.

Mardin Heavy Penal Court accepted the indictment against five soldiers on charges of “homicide with negligence” reported on 13 December 2012. The prosecutor asked their imprisonment up to 3 years.

(12/113) 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 13 December 2012 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 8 began to hear the case against 8 women and heard the legal arguments of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 7 February 2013 to watch the records of the surveillance cameras.

(12/114) Tried workers of newspaper and radio…

On 13 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 10 went on hearing the case against 26 people -10 of them still pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in “Gaye Operation” on grounds that they were “executives and members of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP)” on 10 September 2006. The defendants were workers of Atılım Newspaper and Özgür Radio and 7 of them have been release during the proceedings.

The new court jury heard the legal arguments of the defendants and their lawyers again and released Serkan Gündoğdu and prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the 9 defendants and adjourned the hearing to 12 March 2013.

(12/115) The Case of Mısır Bazaar…

Turkish sociologist who was found not guilty for involving in the 1998 Spice Bazaar bombing in previous three prosecutions over 14 years–was held this afternoon by a criminal court in Istanbul.

Dozens of supporters assembled on the steps of Istanbul Courthouse to show their solidarity with the Turkish sociologist. Several intellectuals including Mete Çubukçu, Ömer Laçiner, Yıldırım Türker, Lale Mansur, Pelin Batu, Gençay Gürsoy, İpek Çalışlar, Jülide Kural, Özcan Alper, Esmeray, Akın Birdal, Rıdvan Akar, Nur Sürer, Oya Baydar, as well as alumni association representatives from Selek’s educational background and worker union officials stood for Selek in the cold winter afternoon. Observers from EU delegation to Turkey and embassies attended the trial.

Gülseren Onanç, deputy chair of Turkey’s main opposition party CHP, attended the trial along with deputies Musa Çam and Sezgin Tanrıkulu. While Selek was not present in the trial, 50 of her defence attorneys filled up the small court room barely capable for 20 people. International Human Rights Federation submitted a request to join the defence.

Initially, the court rejected the recusal proposal made by the defence attorneys, saying that “there is no appearing reason to doubt judges’ objectivity”. Defence attorney Akın Atalay objected the rejection and said that it violated Crime Prosecution Law Article 31. The judges ruled an intermission at 3:50 pm to consider appeals from defence attorneys Akın Atalay and Bahri Belen for recusal. An hour later, the court rejoined and ruled to accept defence proposition of recusal, a decision to reconsider the reassignment of judges until the next trial session on 24 January 2013.

(12/116) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 13 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(12/117) Ongoing KCK Case in Ankara Province…

15 female activists from KESK (the Confederation of Public Workers Trade Union) were detained at their homes and offices early in the morning on 13 February 2012. On 16 February 2012, 9 female trade unionists were arrested. The arrested persons and detainees were carrying out gender related activities in KESK. They were charged with “membership of the outlawed organisation” by citing as a justification some documents found in the computer of one person only in 2009 which contained information about their biodata. The prosecution requested their arrest as remand prisoners in the absence of any evidence of a serious nature.

In the first hearing on 4 October 2012 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 11 declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and adjudicated to release 6 pre-trial detainees -Canan Çalağan, Nurşat Yeşil, Belkız Yurtsever, Hülya Mendilligül, Hatice Beydilli Kahraman ve Evrim Özdemir Oğraş- after hearing their legal arguments of the defendants. The court adjourned the hearing to 13 December 2012.

On 13 December 2012 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 11 went on hearing the case against 15 defendants -3 pre-trial detainees- and declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and released the three pre-trial detainees before adjourning the hearing to 18 April 2013.

 

15-17 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/118) Hate crime in Istanbul…

Günce Hatun (19) a trans woman, was shot dead in the vicinity of Bizimkent Bridge of Beylikdüzü District of Istanbul Province on 15 December 2012. Ilker Karataş (34) who was detained after incident confessed the murder.

(12/119) KCK operation in Şırnak Province and torture and ill-treatment in detention…

Cemalettin Demir who had been detained in the framework of the KCK investigation after the Friday Namaz in Şemdinli District of Şırnak Province on 14 December 2012 was beaten in detention so that he was hospitalised.

(12/120) Coercion in prison…

Zeynep Yurtsever, Suna Kaya and Müzeyyen Arslan were transferred from Bingöl M Type Closed Prison to Mardin E Type Closed Prison against their will reported on 15 December 2012.

(12/121) Proposal to be an informant…

Cengiz Mendillioğlu, an executive of the Ankara Branch of the Human Rights Association/Insan Hakları Derneği (IHD), made a public statement in Ankara Province on 14 December 2012 and stated that unidentified people who had call himself from his mobile phone asked him to be their informant.

(12/122) Convicted people…

On 14 December 2012 Izmir Heavy Penal Court No. 8 sentenced 23 defendants to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment each on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC in connection with the operation against the members of the “Yurtsever Demokratik Gençlik-Meclisi (YDG-M)” in Pamukkale University in Denizli Province.

The court adjudicated to postpone the prosecution for 3 years against the 13 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.

(12/123) Convicted Olan people…

On 14 December 2012 Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 11 sentenced Ali Ekber Kalender to 9 years and 7 months of imprisonment 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 and “intentionally wounding” and other five defendants to 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment each on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation –DHKP-C” under Article 314 of TPC.

He defendants attempted to protest the prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the opening ceremony of a private hospital in Üsküdar District of Istanbul Province on 2010.

(12/124) Tired people…

Police teams had intervened the members of the Halkevleri who attempted to protest Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who had expressed his opinions on banning abortion and initiatives of the government in this direction before 1 June 2012 and who wanted to discuss the matter with Fatma Şahin the Ministry of Health and Family and Social Policy Minister, and 27 women teams taken into custody.

On 14 December 2012 Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 26 went on hearing the case against 27 women on charges of “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” and “intentionally wounding the officers” with the defendants’ legal arguments. The hearing was adjourned to hear the accounts of the complainants.

(12/125) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Istanbul Province…

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 14 December 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, Irfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, Ismail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

The court went on hearing the indictment till page 1025 and adjourned the hearing to 17 December 2012.

(12/126) Ongoing KCK case in Diyarbakır Province…

On 14 December 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 13 defendants -9 of them pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in the KCK operation in Bağlar District of Diyarbakır Province on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC.

The court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and released Mehmet Anuçtekin.

(12/127) Tried “Peace and Democratic Solution Group” members…

On 14 December 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against the 17 out of the 34 members of the “Peace and Democratic Solution Group who came to Turkey from Kandil Mountain and Maxmur Camp in Northern Iraq on 19 October 2009 in connection with the public statement in Diyarbakır Branch of the Human Rights Association/Insan Hakları Derneği (IHD) 30 November 2009 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Fighting with Terrorism Law after the annulment of its verdict by the Supreme Court of Appeals.

The court adjudicated to postpone the prosecution against the 17 defendants for three 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.

(12/128) Armed attack in Istanbul Province…

Police officer Mücahit Daştan (32) was killed in the armed attack in Gaziosmanpaşa District of Istanbul Province on 11 December 2012. Three people were wounded in the incident and N.A., allegedly perpetrator of the murder was apprehended. N.A. was arrested on 14 December 2012.

(12/129) Armed attack in Istanbul Province…

Two police officers and Nebiha Aracı, who allegedly one of the two persons that conducted the attack and member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C), were wounded in the attack on Yenibosna 75th Years Police Station in Bahçelievler District of Istanbul Province on 8 December 2012. One of the perpetrators run away and the hand grenade that was thrown to the station did not explode. Police teams interfered to the members of the Solidarity Association of the Prisoners’ Families (Tutuklu Hükümlü Aileleri Yardımlaşma Derneği (TAYAD)) who went to Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital to get information on the well-being of Nebiha Aracı and detained 10 of them.

Twelve out of the 18 detainees were arrested on 14 December 2012.

(12/130) Home raids in Mersin Province…

Two out of the five (Mersin University students) detainees who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Mersin Province on 11 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 14 December 2012.

(12/131) KCK operation in Tunceli Province…

Thirteen out of the 15 detainees who had been detained in raids on Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Province and District Branches, municipalities and houses of Fighting with Terror Department in Tunceli Province and its Nazımiye and Pertek District on 11 December 2012 were arrested in the framework of KCK investigation on 15 December 2012.

(12/132) Banned concert…

On 14 December 2012 Istanbul Governorate vanned the concert of the Group Yorum which was planned to be held by Revolutionary Workers’ Movement/Devrimci Işçi Hareketi in the Olympic Sport Hall in Bağcılar District of Istanbul Province on 16 December 2012 on the grounds that “public security”. Police teams interfered to the groups with pressured water and gas bombs that attempted to go to the Hall on 16 December 2012.

(12/133) Home raids in Şanlıurfa Province…

Six detainees who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Birecik District of Şanlıurfa Province on 11 December 2012 were arrested in the framework of KCK investigation on 14 December 2012.

 

18 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/134) Operations and clashes in South-east…

A soldier was allegedly killed in the attack on a headquarters in Gabar Mountain in Şırnak Province on 16 December 2012.

(12/135) Coercion in prison…

Five prisoners in Sincan (Ankara) Prison for Females was beaten and stripped naked by the “A Team” which consists 15 guardians, after their return from their court hearing in Diyarbakır Province on the grounds that they objected to the cavity search on 7 December 2012.

(12/136) Death in Prison…

Y.C. a convict in solitary confinement in Edirne F Type Closed Prison was found dead reported on 17 December 2012.

(12/137) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Istanbul Province…

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 17 December 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, Irfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, Ismail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

The court wen on hearing the indictment on the lectures that were held in the Political Academia of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) on quantum mechanics, big-bang and evolution but the court adjudicated to adjourned the hearing before it was scheduled to 18 December 2012 because the court find it tough to understand the lectures.

(12/138) Convicted People…

On 17 December 2012 Adana Heavy Penal Court No.10 sentenced Abdulaziz Toprak, Emrah Yücel and Ferhat Yıldırım to ten months imprisonment each in connection with the photograph of Abdullah Öcalan on the Azadiya Welat Newspaper they had been carrying in the World Peace Day meeting in Adana Province on 1 September 2012 on charges of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law.

(12/139) Fire in Prison…

Twelve prisoners were wounded in the fire in Akhisar (Manisa) T Type Closed Prison on 17 December 2012.

(12/140) Case launched after the excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Azerbaijani Lawyer Intikam Aliyev (49), well-known human rights defender, was detained and kept in a small room without windows for four hours in Atatürk Airport (Istanbul) on the grounds that he argued with the officer in passport check because of his discriminative acts about his nationality as he was returning to his country from Lithuania after a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on 6 December 2011.

Intikam Aliyev was expelled on charges of “insulting a public officer” and his entrance to Turkey banned for one year and later the ban decision was annulled.

On 17 December 2012 Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No. 12 went on hearing the case against İntigam Aliyev on charges of “resisting, insulting and threatening officers on duty” and heard his legal argument. The hearing was adjourned to 3 April 2013.

 

19 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/141) Intervention to the protest in Ankara Province…

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who came to Ortadoğu Teknik Universitesi (ODTÜ)/Middle East Technical University (METU) with 105 guards, 3600 police officers, 20 armoured vehicles and 8 vehicles to interfere social incidents (TOMA) to watch the Göktürk-2 satellite’s launch from China, was protested by the students on 18 December 2012. Police teams interfered to the students with pressured water and gas bombs. Two students -Barış Barışık was seriously wounded with the hit of the gas bomb canister- were wounded and 32 students were detained.

(12/142) Ongoing extra-judicial killing case in Mardin Province…

Yusuf Akın (38) was killed Mehmet Eren (48) was wounded with the gendarmerie fire in the rural part of Heybeli Village of Nusaybin District of Mardin Province 20 December 2011 on the grounds that they were PKK militants.

Mardin Heavy Penal Court accepted the indictment against five soldiers on charges of “homicide with negligence” reported on 13 December 2012. The prosecutor asked their imprisonment up to 3 years.

The court began to hear the case on 18 December 2012. The court jury read the legal arguments of the defendants who were not present and declined the arrest demands for the defendants and adjudicated to take the legal arguments of the 2 defendants on 14 February 2013.

(12/143) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 18 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to Imralı Island was out of order.

(12/144) Coercion in prison…

The Discipline Board Directorate of Sincan (Ankara) F Type Closed Prison No.2 decided to confiscate and destruct the letter of prisoner İdris Nakçi to the Dicle News Agency reported on 18 December 2012.

(12/145) Coercion in prison…

Muzaffer Aslankan who had been detained in KCK investigation in Afyon Province on 5 June 2012, was beaten by the guardians in Antalya L Type Closed Prison reported on 18 December 2012. His father made an official complaint to the prosecutor but he could not get a result.

(12/146) Coercion in prison…

The guardians of the Şakran (İzmir) Prison for Juveniles have been beating the juveniles who do not call the “brother”, who do not show their respect with kissing their hands and who do not get into a queue and be counted. A juvenile named H.D. was in solitary confinement and the juveniles were forced to cavity search, reported after the letter of S.A. on 18 December 2012.

(12/147) Case launched after the excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Azerbaijani Lawyer Intikam Aliyev (49), well-known human rights defender, was detained and kept in a small room without windows for four hours in Atatürk Airport (Istanbul) on the grounds that he argued with the officer in passport check because of his discriminative acts about his nationality as he was returning to his country from Lithuania after a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on 6 December 2011.

Intikam Aliyev was expelled on charges of “insulting a public officer” and his entrance to Turkey banned for one year and later the ban decision was annulled.

On 18 December 2012 Bakırköy Penal Court of Peace No. 2 went on hearing the case against İntigam Aliyev on charges of “resisting, insulting and threatening officers on duty” and heard his legal argument. The hearing was adjourned.

(12/148) Home raids in Şırnak Province…

Eleven people were detained in home raids of the gendarmerie teams in Kumçatı Municipality, İkizce and Toptepe Villages of Şırnak Province 19 December 2012.

(12/149) Detained people in İstanbul Province…

A person who has been selling Kızıl Bayrak (Red Flag) Newspaper in Tuzla District of İstanbul Province on 17 December 2012, was detained by police teams.

(12/150) Detained people in Çanakkale Province…

Socialist Youth Association (SGD) member Ayhan Duykulu was detained on the grounds that he participated in the activities to support hunger strikes in Çanakkale Province on 18 December 2012.

(12/151) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Istanbul Province…

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 18 December 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, Irfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, Ismail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

The court went on hearing the indictment till page 1257 and adjourned the hearing to 20 December 2012.

 

20 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/152) Death in prison…

Dinçer Uğuzgey a prisoner in Kepsut (Balıkesir) L Type Closed Prison was killed by another prisoner by cutting his throat reported on 20 December 2012.

(12/153) Tried police officers on charges of torture…

Güney Tuna (21) had been beaten by a Police Officer Muhammed Bağcı on the grounds that he had been drinking in a park in Avcılar District of İstanbul Province on 3 October 2009. Physician Ergin Ertan had gave Güney Tuna a report that claims he was healthy.

On 18 December 2012 Bakırköy Heavy Penal Court No. 7 went on hearing the case against Police Officer Muhammed Bağcı on charges of “aggravated torture” and Physician Ergin Ertan and five other officers on charges of negligence in office. The court sentenced the Police Officers Muhammet Bağcı and Samet Durmaz to 6 years and 8 months of imprisonment each; Physician Ergin Ertan to 2 months and 15 days of imprisonment and acquitted other officers -Evren Bakırtaş, Zafer Arık, Fatih Fidan and Enes Paray.

(12/154) Tried lawyer…

On 19 December 2012 Adana Law Court of First Instance No. 2 began to hear the reparation case launched by the inistry of Interior Affiairs against Lawyer Şiar Rişvanoğlu in connection with claiming the Security Directorate as the “suspect” in the death of Azadiya Welat Newspaper’s worker Metin Alataş in Adana Province on 4 April 2010. The ministry asked for 10.000 TL as reparation.

The head of the court declined the case after revaluating the case documents.

(12/155) Tried people…

Police teams had raided on Ozan Press that has been publishing Yürüyüş Magazine in Şişli District of İstanbul Province on 24 December 2010 and detained 16 people. Eight of the detainees were arrested on 28 December 2010.

On 18 December 2012 Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 11 went on hearing the case against 16 defendants and 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 defendants on the essence of the case to 14 February 2013.

(12/156) Convicted convicts…

On 4 November 2008 Fehmi Çapan and İleri Kızılaltun who had been transferred to hospital had been beaten by the gendarmerie soldiers in the outer security gate of İzmir Kırıklar F Type Closed Prison No. 1. Fehmi Çapan got various wounds and even the one in his head was stitched. İleri Kızılaltun was also wounded.

The convicts made official complaints against the soldiers and while the investigation is still pending they were convicted reported on 19 December 2012.

İzmir Penal Court of First Instance No. 3 sentenced Femhi Çapan to 2 years, 2 months and 20 days of imprisonment on charges of “resisting to public officers” and “harming public goods” and İleri Kızılaltun to 1 year, 4 months and 20 days of imprisonment on charges of “resisting”.

(12/157) the case on the explosion in Kumrular Street…

Five people were killed and 32 were wounded after the explosion of the bomb in a parked car in Kumrular Street in Ankara Province on 20 September 2011. On 19 December 2012 Ankara Region Heavy Penal Court No. 13 began to hear the case against 15 defendants -11 pre-trial detainees- and the court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish. After hearing the legal arguments the court released Necla Acet, İhsan Akgül, Hayrettin Sincan, Yakup Pamukçi and Ahmet Korban and adjudicated to prolonged the pre-trial detention period of Ümit Akgümüş, Mazlum Duran, Halil Bayık, Ramazan Pamukçi, Fethullah Yiğit and Ertan Yürek

The hearing was adjourned to 18 February 2013.

(12/158) Tried People…

On 19 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 11 went on hearing the case against 72 defendants – 25 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in the operation against Democratic Patriotic Youth (YDG) in İstanbul Province in March 2011 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” under Article 314 of TPC. The court adjudicated to release 7 pre-trial detainees -Kayhan Tüney, Burhan Şık, Serhat Göksu, Sadullah Başboğa, Ercan Marhan, Hakan Yılmaz and Sercan Avşar- and adjourned the hearing to 13 March 2013.

(12/159) Ongoing KCK Case in Hakkâri Province…

On 19 December 2012 Van Heavy Penal Court No. 3 went on hearing the case against 15 people who had been detain3ed in KCK/TM operation in Hakkâri Province in 2010 on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation – 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)” under Article 314 of TPC.

The court adjudicated to release Hakkâri Province General Assembly Chairperson Ferzende Yılmaz afher hearing his legal argument.

(12/160) Banned Meeting…

Kahramanmaraş Governorate banned the meeting to commemorate the “Maraş Massacre” in its 33rd anniversary in Kahramanmaraş Province on 23 December 2012 reported on 19 December 2012. At least 150 people had been killed by right-wingers between 19 and 26 December 1978.

(12/161) KCK Operation in Siirt Province…

Siirt Vice Mayor Musa Kurhan who had been detained in Siirt Province on 18 December 2012 was arrested the same day.

(12/162) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Twelve people were detained in synchronised home raids of the gendarmerie in Kırıkdağ Village of Hakkâri Province on 19 December 2012.

 

21 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/163) Coercion in prison…

İnönü University (Malatya) former Rector Fatih Hilmioğlu (58) has been a pre-trial detainee in Silivri (İstanbul) F Type Closed Prison No. 2 from Ergenekon case since 17 April 2009. Two tumours from his crouch had been taken with an operation and cancer and cirrhosis diseases were diagnosed. He has been medically treated in Murat Kölük State Hospital in Avcılar District of İstanbul Province reported on 20 December 2012.

(11/164) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 20 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to Imralı Island was out of order.

(12/165) Tried conscientious objector…

Ali Fikri Işık (55) had been detained on the grounds that he did not serve his compulsory military service in Diyarbakır Province on 9 June 2012 and sent to Edirne Martial Prison No. 3 and he had been released on 19 October 2012.

On 14 August 2012 Edirne Mechanized Brigade Martial Court No. 54 he had declared his conscientious objection to military service in Kurdish.

The court adjudicated to demand supplementary reports from Çorlu and Kasımpaşa Army Hospitals and adjourned the hearing to 27 February 2013.

(12/166) Ongoing KCK Operations…

14 people in Siirt, 2 people in Batman, 2 people in Bitlis, 18 people in İstanbul were detained in the KCK operation conducted from Siirt Province in Batman, Bitlis and İstanbul Provinces on 20 December 2012.

(12/167) Convicted People…

On 18 December 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 4 sentenced 11 years, 10 months and 15 days imprisonment on the grounds that he had thrown rocks to the police teams in a protest in Mardin Province in 2012 on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC, “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”, “making propaganda of an illegal organisation” under Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law and “harming public goods”.

Ömer Haran was not present in the hearing due to another hearing against him and the court bother itself to hear for his legal argument on the essence of the case.

(12/168) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Istanbul Province…

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 20 December 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, Irfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, Ismail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

The court went on hearing the indictment and adjourned the hearing to 21 December 2012.

(12/169) Intervention to the protest in Zonguldak Province…

Police teams interfered to the students who protested the rectorate of the Bülent Ecevit University (Zonguldak) on the grounds that the rectorate did not provide a room for the discussion on the Draft Law of the Higher Education Council in the university on 19 December 2012 and detained 20 students.

 

22-25 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/170) Home raids in Ankara Province…

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who came to Ortadoğu Teknik Universitesi (ODTÜ)/Middle East Technical University (METU) with 105 guards, 3600 police officers, 20 armoured vehicles and 8 vehicles to interfere social incidents (TOMA) to watch the Göktürk-2 satellite’s launch from China, was protested by the students on 18 December 2012. Police teams interfered to the students with pressured water and gas bombs. Two students -Barış Barışık was seriously wounded with the hit of the gas bomb canister- were wounded and 32 students were detained.

Ten students were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on the grounds that “committing offence by participating in the demonstration on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” in Ankara Province on 21 December 2012. All the students were released.

(12/171) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Mutlu İlker Ülke was beaten by a police officer with a baton and hospitalised at the end of the basketball match in Edirne Province on 20 December 2012. He was beaten although he told the officer that he has asthma illness.

(12/172) Extra-judicial killing in Diyarbakır Province…

Özgür Arda (30) a convict who had allegedly run away from Ceyhan (Adana) M Type Closed Prison to Diyarbakır Province was shot from his back by police teams on the grounds that he ddi not obey stop warning in Sur District of Diyarbakır Province on 22 December 2012 and died as he was hospitalised to Diyarbakır State Hospital.

Witnesses Ahmet Oktekin and Fuat Öner were also reportedly detained after the incident.

(12/173) Fire in the tent town…

Mahmut Abdullah Şon (2) one of the five children who had been wounded in the fire in the tents in the refugees camp in Ceylanpınar District of Şanlıurfa Province, died on 24 December 2012.

(12/174) Banned commemoration…

Kahramanmaraş Governorate had banned the meeting to commemorate the “Maraş Massacre” in its 33rd anniversary in Kahramanmaraş Province on 23 December 2012 reported on 19 December 2012. At least 150 people had been killed by right-wingers between 19 and 26 December 1978.

The groups who came to Kahramanmaraş to commemorate the incident were halt in the entrance of the province on 23 December 2012. Police teams interfered to the group in the entrance of Narlı Municipality of Pazarcık District of Kahramanmaraş Province with gas bombs and batons and wounded 5 people.

(12/175) Intervention to the protest in Kocaeli Province…

Police teams interfered to the protest of the members of the Education and Science Workers Trade Union (Egitim-Sen) against the detentions in Ankara Province and against the investigations in Kocaeli University in Kocaeli Province on 22 December 2012. A student was wounded from his/her wrist in the incident and was detained.

(12/176) Home raids in Adana Province…

Four members of the BDP were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on the grounds that they participated in various protests in Ceyhan District of Adana Province on 22 December 2012.

(12/177) Home raids in Hakkâri Province…

Seven out of the 12 detainees who had been detained in home raids of gendarmerie in Kırıkdağ Village of Hakkâri Province on 19 December 2012 were arrested “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” on charges of 22 December 2012.

(12/178) Intervention to the workers’ protest in Sivas Province…

Police teams interfered to the protest workers’ of Sivas Iron Steal Factories Ltd. (SİDEMİR) who could not get their salaries in last three months on 21 December 2012. Three workers who had been effected from gas were hospitalised.

(12/179) Coercion in prison…

Seventy prisoners who had been transferred to Şakran (İzmir) T Type Closed Prison from Mardin E Type Closed Prison, were sentenced to solitary confinement for 10 days on the grounds that they initiated a riot in their former prison reported on 21 December 2012.

(12/180) Coercion in prison…

Seven convicts were transferred from Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison No. 1 to Muğla E Type Closed Prison without their consent reported on 21 December 2012.

(12/182) Police officers tried on charges of torture and impunity…

Police officers C.S., O.T., R.K., E.H.Ç. and H.K. had quarrelled with Socialist Party members Ufuk Özgün Erhan, İbrahim Doruk Balkan and Ufuk Göllü after they had asked their ID cards in Beyoğlu District of İstanbul Province on 5 March 2009. They had been beaten and cuffed.

Beyoğlu Chief Public Prosecution Office finalised the indictment on 23 April 2010 after the official complants of the both sides against each other.

Ufuk Özgün Erhan, İbrahim Doruk Balkan and Ufuk Göllü

According to the indictment Ufuk Göllü’s nasal bone had been fractured and had bruises in his body; Ufuk Özgün Erhan’s left wrist bone3 had been fractured and the minutes prepared by the police officers had not been taken into consideration on the grounds that the police officers could get well with simple medical treatment.

The prosecutor stated that police officers intentionally wounded the detainees with excessive use of force that would amount to torture, they went on intentionally wounding by spraying gas after they handcuffed them, and these actions went on inside the police vehicle. The prosecutor asked the imprisonment of the officers up to 12 years each for torturing İbrahim Doruk Balkan and up to 36 years each for torturing Ufuk Göllü and Ufuk Erhan Özgün on charges of “aggravated torture”.

On 21 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 12 acquitted the police officers on the grounds that they had complied with the laws and the orders of their superiors.

(12/183) Ongoing KCK/TM Main Case in Istanbul Province…

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 went on hearing the case against 205 defendants -122 of them pre-trial detainees and 23 of them were fugitives- on 21 December 2012.

Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı is among the defendants and charged with “being the executive of the illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office had finalised the indictment against 193 people -147 of the pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in various dates in the framework of KCK investigation and sent the 2401 pages of indictment for the evaluation of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 on 19 March 2012. Writer Ragıp Zarakolu had been charged with “helping and harbouring an illegal organisation” under Article 220/7 and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı had been charged with “being an executive of illegal organisation”.

Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 had released Writer Ragıp Zarakolu, Muhsin Yenisöz, Irfan Hülakü, Lütfü Balbal, Ali Geritli, Songül Karatagna, Nahit Onat, Zeynal Çelik, Neci Elmas, Burhanettin Toprak, Ismail Zeybek, Evrim Öztürk, Yasin Yalçın, Cemalettin Görbegir, Alaattin Güneş on the grounds that the probability that the qualification of the charges could be change and the conditions of the evidences as well as taking the period of time spent in prison as pre-trial detainees.

The court adjudicated to release Selma Aygün, Abdurrahman İsen, İhsan Çelik and Selahattin Tekin and prolonged the pre-trial detention period of other 118 defendants and adjourned the hearing to 4 March 2013.

The hearings will be held successively till 15 March 2013.

(12/184) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

Five members of the Student Youth Trade Union/Öğrenci Gençlik Sendikası (Genç-Sen) were detained as they were protesting the draft law of the Higher Education Council (YÖK) in Istanbul Province on 21 December 2012.

(12/185) JITEM case on the murder by unknown assailants in Cizre District…

On 21 December 2012 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 Non-commissioned officer Tufan Aras on the murder of Abdullah Eyfelti who had been killed after he had been taken from his house in 1995.

The court adjudicated to merge the case with another one against Specialised Sergeant Burhanettin Kıyak, and three informants Adem Yakin, Abdulhakim Güven (Fırat Altın) and Hıdır Güven in connection with ten murder by unknown assailants in Cizre District of Şırnak Province between 1993 and 1995.

Kamil Atağ was released and the hearing was adjourned to 22 February 2013.

(12/186) Attack on party building…

Material damage took place in the attack of the unidentified people with Molotov Cocktails on the Gaziantep Province Branch of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) on 20 December 2012.

(12/187) Home raids in Konya Province…

Four members of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Koray Aspir, Buket Merdan, Gökçe Bostancı and Baran Onur Emekçi were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Konya Province on 24 December 2012.

(12/188) Home raids in Şırnak Province…

Nineteen members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Şırnak Province and its İdil District, Sırtköy Municipality, and Yarbaşı Village on 24 December 2012.

(12/189) Death in prison…

Mehmet Zengin (73) a convict in Bursa E Type Closed Prison died due to kidney malfunction reported on 24 December 2012.

(12/190)The case on excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

Lawyer Malik Zengin and his assistant Damla Taş were beaten by seven police officers after the traffic accident with a police vehicle on the grounds that he asked for the accident minutes in Kadıköy District of İstanbul Province on 2 Nisan 2009.

Malik Zengin, was beaten with his hands cuffed and he was detained without the permission of the prosecutor and was insulted and threatened in the police station.

Kadıköy Penal Court of First Instance No. 1 sentenced police officers Oktay Burcu, Cumhur Acarca, Muhammet Uğur Şen, İbrahim Akkurt, Nurdoğan Efe and Akın Söğüt to 1 year and 3 months of imprisonment each on charges of “intentionally wounding with misconduct of the authorities of the public officials”. The court did not postponed the sentences and banned the officers from their occupation. Malik Zengin and Damla Taş were acquitted from the charges of “insulting and resisting public officials” reported on 24 December 2012.

(12/192) Detained media workers…

Mehmet Erçik and Hediye Özbay workers of Azadiya Welat Newspaper’s representative office were detained they got out of the office in Seyhan District of Adana Province on 24 December 2012.

(12/193) Ongoing KCK Case in Şırnak Province…

On 24 December 2012, Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 went on hearing the case against 61 defendants – 41 of them pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in Şırnak Province on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation -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)” under Article 314 of TPC.

The court adjudicated to hear the legal arguments of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 2 January 2013.

(12/194) (07/218) Senior officers tried in the case on the mine explosion…

On 24 December 2012 the Turkish General Staff’s Marchial Court went on hearing the case against pre-trial detainee, Brigadier General Zeki Es and Brigadier General Gürbüz Kaya, Fatih Taylan Çeker, Hakan Alaçam, Nurettin Altay and Rıza Atilla Erdoğan in connection with the mine explosion as a military vehicle was passing by in which six soldiers were killed and 8 soldiers were wounded Çukurca District of Hakkâri Province on 27 May 2009.

The authorities had claimed that the mine was placed by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) armed wing People’s Defence Forces (HPG) but later a voice record was revealed that the mine was placed with the order of Hakkâri Brigade Commander Brigadier General Zeki Es, and Brigadier General Gürbüz Kaya replied to the confession that it has no importance.

The new report of the expert commission was presented in the hearing. Defendant Zeki Es claimed that “it would be wrong to get reports from the people who did not work in the region” the people and asked the court to demand from the Turkish General Staff its opinion on the incident accept the opinion as the expert report.

The court adjourned the hearing to give time to the prosecutor to prepare his legal argument on the essence of the case.

 

26 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/195) Police officers tried in connection with Diyarbakır Incidents…

On 25 December 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 1 went on hearing the case against police officers B.Ö., H.A. and N.Ö. in connection with the murder of Mahsun Mızrak who had been killed in the Diyarbakır Incidents on 28 March 2006 in which 14 people were killed and more than 400 people were arrested on charges of “homicide with probable intention”.

The defendants did not participate in the hearing and the message of the Diyarbakır Security Directorate that demands the three firearms in the court deposit on the grounds that they are needed and for their periodic maintenance, was read in the hearing. Barış Yavuz the lawyer of the Mızrak family and the prosecutor objected the demand. The court adjourned the hearing to evaluate the demand.

(12/196) Operations and clashes in South-east…

Thirteen militants were killed and 6 others were apprehended in the clash between Turkish Armed Forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) armed wing People’s Defence Forces (HPG) in Amanos Mountains region on 24 December 2012.

(12/197) Operations and clashes in South-east…

Three soldiers were wounded in the explosion of the mine in Dağlıca Region of Yüksekova District of Hakkâri Province on 25 December 2012.

(12/198) Torture and ill-treatment in detention…

H.D. who had been detained on the grounds that he is a draft-dodger and taken to Sanayi Police Station in Kâğıthane District of İstanbul Province on 19 June 2012. The surveillance camera records that documents that he had been beaten severely by 7 police officers revealed on 26 December 2012.

(12/199) Violence in …

Private security officer of a women’s shelter N.Y. (31) beat a woman living in the shelter on the grounds that she got up to drink water in Samsun Province on 25 December 2012.

(12/200) Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers…

On 25 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 3 sentenced the lawyers Taylan Tanay, Oya Aslan ve Nazan Yaman to 1 year, 2 months and 17 days of imprisonment each in connection with the incidents that sparkled after the hearing in Beşiktaş (İstanbul) Heavy Penal Court No. 13 on 3 September 2008 on charges of “insulting a public officer due to the performance of his public duty” under Article 125 of TPC. The lawyers attempted to protect their clients against the gendarmerie soldiers.

(12/201) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 25 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(12/202) Case on the intervention to the protest against the ban of abortion…

On 20 December 2012 Eskişehir Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 began to hear the case against 55 defendants in connection with the protest against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who had expressed his opinions on banning abortion and initiatives of the government in this direction by marching to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Eskişehir Province on 30 May 2012 on charges of “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” and “resisting to the officer on duty”. The court began to check the IDs of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to finalised it.

(12/203) Tried people…

On 25 December 2012 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 10 began to hear the case against the 25 defendants who had been detained in the funeral of Murat Şakar, the HPG militant who killed in Kozluk District of Batman Province on 3 February 2012, in Mersin Province on 14 February 2012 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 and “opposing to the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”. The court finalised the ID check and adjourned the hearing to 8 February 2013.

(12/204) Ongoing case on the celebration of Newroz in İstanbul Province…

On 25 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22 began to hear the case against 45 defendants -14 of them pre-trial detainees- in connection with the Newroz Celebration that took place in İstanbul Province on 18 March 2012 on charges of “committing offence on behalf of an organisation although he is not a member” under Article 220/6 of TPC.

The court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and released the pre-trial detainees.

(12/205) Intervention to the protest in Kocaeli Province…

Police teams interfered with gas bombs and pressured water to the members of the Revolutionary Health Workers Trade Union (Dev Sağlık-İş) to protest the minimum wage discussions in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) with the slogan “minimum wage for the humanitarian life” in Kocaeli Province on 25 December 2012. Two workers were hospitalised in the incident.

(12/206) Intervention to the protest in İstanbul Province…

Two members of the SGD were detained as they protest the Roboski Massacre in which 34 people were killed in Uludere District of Şırnak Province on 28 December 2011 in front of the İstanbul Courthouse on 25 December 2012.

(12/207) Intervention to the protest in Kocaeli Province…

Police teams interfered with gas bombs and pressured water to the students of Kocaeli University that protest the draft Law on Higher ducation Council in Kocaeli Province on 25 December 2012 and detained 7 students.

 

 

27 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/208) Operations and clashes in South-east…

A militant was allegedly killed in the clash between Turkish Armed Forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) armed wing People’s Defence Forces (HPG) in the rural part of Karakoyunlu District of Iğdır Province on 26 December 2012.

(12/209) Ongoing KCK case in Adana Province…

On 26 December 2012 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 10 began to hear the case 54 people -20 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Adana Province on 6 March 2012 in the framework of KCK investigation. The court checked the IDs of the defendants and heard their legal arguments before releasing 7 defendants. The hearing was adjourned to 22 February 2013’e.

(12/210) Ongoing KCK case in Aydın Province…

On 26 December 2012 İzmir Heavy Penal Court No. 10 went on hearing the case against 29 people -11 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Ortaklar Municipality of Aydın Province in May 2010 in the framework of KCK investigation. The court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and heard the legal argument on the essence of the case and adjourned the hearing to 28 February 2013.

(12/211) Ongoing KCK case in Batman Province…

On 26 December 2012 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 5 went on hearing the case against 40 people -28 pre-trial detainees- who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in Batman Province in 2012 in the framework of KCK investigation. The court heard the legal argument of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to 18 March 2013.

(12/212) Detained people in İzmir Province…

Police teams detained 4 students who protested the march of the right-winger for Kerkuk Province in Northern Iraq, in Ege University’s Medicine Faculty in İzmir 26 December 2012.

(12/213) Hindered commemoration activity…

Ministry of Interior Affairs banned the trespassing to Roboski Village to commemorate the Roboski Massacre in which 34 people were killed in the air attack that took place in the vicinity of the village in Uludere District of Şırnak Province on 28 December 2011, reported on 27 December 2012.

(12/214) Home raids in Mardin Province…

Ten people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on the grounds that they had participated in several demonstrations in Kızıltepe District of Mardin Province on 26 December 2012.

(12/215) Home raids in Bursa Province…

Eight people were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on the grounds that they had participated in the meetings to support hunger strikes in Yıldırım District of Bursa Province on 26 December 2012.

(12/216) Home raids in Şırnak Province…

Four out of the nineteen members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) who had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams in Şırnak Province and its İdil District, Sırtköy Municipality, and Yarbaşı Village on 24 December 2012 were arrested on charges of on charges of 26 December 2012.

 

28 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/217) Operations and clashes in South-east…

Two police officers were wounded with the explosion of a sound bomb as they were cruising in a police vehicle in Diyarbakır Province on 27 December 2012.

(12/218) Tried journalists…

27 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 16 went on hearing the OdaTV case against 13 defendants -3 pre-trial detainees. Journalist Soner Yalçın was released in the ongoing OdaTV case. Yalçın was accused of being part of the media wing of the alleged Ergenekon gang. The case regarding OdaTV, an online news portal known for its harsh criticism of government policies, began after the police conducted a search of the website’s offices in February 2011 as part of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation. Ergenekon is an alleged ultranationalist gang accused of plotting to overthrow the government by fomenting chaos in society. The court, however, refused to release fellow suspects Yalçın Küçük and Hanefi Avcı. The hearing was adjourned to 21 March 2013.

(12/219) Coercion in prison…

Lawyers Mazlum Dinç, Rezan Sarıca, and Hüseyin Boğatekin were not allowed to visit their client Abdullah Öcalan on 27 December 2012 on grounds that the ship that would carry them to İmralı Island was out of order.

(12/220) Ongoing KCK case in İstanbul Province…

On 27 December 2012 İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 began to hear the case 17 people who had been detained in home raids of Fighting with Terror Department in İstanbul Province in 2012 in the framework of KCK investigation. The court declined the demand of the defendants to make their legal argument in Kurdish and adjourned the hearing to 18 January 2013.

(12/221) Attack on association building…

Material damage took place in the attack with Molotov Cocktails on Mardin Okumayı Sevdirme ve Yaygınlaştırma Derneği which was constituted by the social support Programme of Mardin Governorate in Mazıdağı District of Mardin Province on 27 December 2012.

(12/222) Intervention to the workers’ protest in Ankara Province…

Police teams interfered with gas bombs and pressured water to the members of the Federation of Revolutionary Workers’ Trade Union (DİSK) to protest the minimum wage discussions in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) with the slogan “minimum wage for the humanitarian life” in Ankara Province on 27 December 2012. Two workers were detained in the incident.

(12/223) Home raids in Mersin Province…

Six juveniles were detained were detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on the grounds that they participated in illegal demonstrations Akdeniz District of Mersin Province on 27 December 2012.

(12/224) Home raids in Bursa Province…

Six out of the 8 people who had been detained in synchronised home raids of the Fighting with Terrorism Department teams on the grounds that they had participated in the meetings to support hunger strikes in Yıldırım District of Bursa Province on 26 December 2012 were arrested on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation” on 27 December 2012.

 

28-30 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/225) House raids in Adana…

As a result of house raids of police teams in Adana on 28 December 2012 19 students were detained for having participated in an action on 19 December 2012 directed to the incidents at METU.

(12/226) Concluded KCK Trial in Şanlıurfa…

On 28 December 2012 the trial of 10 people who had been arrested in an operation as part of the KCK investigations in Şanlıurfa-Viranşehir district in August 2011 continued. During the hearing at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court 4 heard the final statements of the defendants and sentenced nine people for support and propaganda for an illegal organization to three years, 11 months’ imprisonment and one defendant for having conducted a crime in the name of an illegal organization and been in possession of explosives to 9.5 years’ imprisonment.

(12/227) Torture and Ill-treatment in detention…

Police teams raided the house of Hakkı Şık, chair of the BDP in Kocaköy district in Diyarbakır-Kocaköy district and detained him, his wife and four children under beatings.

(12/228) Death in prison…

Livaze Ç., imprisoned in Bursa E-type Prison for an ordinary offence, fell ill on 28 December 2012 and died.

(12/229) Persons convicted…

On 30 December 2012 information was received that a verdict had been passed on İdris Özdemir, Özgür Eksik, Rıdvan Kılıç, Emrullah Abay and Ebru Bayram who had been detained in Mersin in February 2010 and later were charged with membership of an illegal organization. Adana Heavy Penal Court 8 ruled that the five people were members of an illegal organization, had repeatedly (in “chained actions”) made propaganda for an illegal organization and repeatedly caused damage to property and sentenced Ebru Bayram to 37 years, İdris Özdemir, Özgür Eksik and Emrullah Abay to 27 years and Rıdvan Kılıç to 18 years’ imprisonment.

(12/230) House raids in Mardin…

On 26 December 2012 police officers from the department to fight terrorism had raided houses in in Mardin-Kızıltepe district and detained 10 people for having participated in actions at various dates. On 28 December nine of them were arrested on charges of having resisted police officer on duty.

(12/231) Attempt of an extra-judicial execution in Cizre…

N.D. (11) was seriously injured by the capsule of a gas bomb when police teams intervened in an action in Şırnak-Cizre district on 28 December 2012 on the anniversary of the Roboski massacre.

(12/232) Journal confiscated…

A ban on publication for one month and the confiscation of all editions of number 344 of the weekly March for Independence, Democracy and Socialism of 23 December 2012 was ordered on 28 December 2012.

(12/233) KCK Trial continued…

On 28 December 2012 the trial of eight people, two of them in pre-trial detention who had been charged after an operation as part of the KCK investigation in Ağrı in June 2012 continued. Erzurum Heavy Penal Court 4. rejected the demand of the defendants to defend themselves in Kurdish and adjourned the hearing to 2 January 2013 so that the prosecutor can prepared his final statement.

(12/234) KCK trial continued in Muş…

On 28 December 2012 the trial of two people, who had been charged after an operation as part of the KCK investigation in Muş-Bulanık and Varto district on 20 October 2011, continued. Since the court’s jury had not gathered Van Heavy Penal Court 3 adjourned the hearing to 2 January 2013.

(12/235) Fire in tent town…

On 24 December 2012 a fire broke out in the town erected of tents in Şanlıurfa-Ceylanpınar district for people escaping from violence in Syria. Of the five children that were injured Mahmut Abdullah Şon (2) had died. On 29 December 2012 information was received that the other four siblings had died as well.

(12/236) Attack on building of an association in Bursa…

As the result of an attack by stones of unknown people on the offices of Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association in Bursa on 29 December 2012 material damage occurred.

(12/237) Pressure in the Prisons…

On 29 December 2012 it was learned that 11 prisoners in Şakran (İzmir) T-type Prison had been beaten by guardians.

(12/238) Death in prison…

It was alleged that Volkan Özbudak imprisoned in Silivri (İstanbul) F-type Prison committed suicide with his pullover in the cell where he was staying alone.

(12/239) Attempt of an extra-judicial execution in Kahramanmaraş…

On 28 December 2012 police teams opened fire on H.Y. (27) suspected of burglary in Kahramanmaraş and injured him.

 

31 December 2012 Daily Human Rights Report

 

(12/240) Operations and clashes in the Southeast…

During a clash that occurred during a military operation between Diyarbakır-Lice and Hani district and Bingöl-Genç district that had started on 31 December 2012 ten militants allegedly died.

(12/241) Detentions in Diyarbakır…

During house raids in Diyarbakır-Silvan district nine people, three of them minors, were detained on 31 December 2012 on the grounds that arrest warrants existed against them.

(12/242) Pressure in the prisons…

Between 27 July 2011 and 31 December Aralık 2012 the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan had not been allowed to meet his lawyers for 523 days. On 31 December 2012 the lawyers from the Law Office of the Century, Rezan Sarıca, Cengiz Yürekli and Ayşe Acinikli were again not allowed to go to İmralı Island, because the coaster for transport to the hight security prison on İmralı was out of order.

(12/243) Racist attack in Karabük…

On 30 December 2012 two Kurdish juveniles named M.T. and G.B. were attacked in Karabük by a racist group and beaten.

 

The Documentation Centre of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) prepares the daily human rights reports on the basis of reports in the media (newspapers, Internet portals…) and information from the network that the HRFT has established. The sources of information include: Akşam, Zaman, Yeni Şafak, Vatan, Star, Sabah, Radikal, Milliyet, Hürriyet, Evrensel, Birgün, Cumhuriyet, Vakit, Fırat News Agency, Atılım, Gündem, Ntvmsnbc.com, Bianet.org, İndymedia.org, Sesonline.net, Gazetem.net, Haber7.com, Yeni Özgür Politika, Libre News Agency, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Taraf, Günlük.

S. Erdem Türközü

Evren Özer