14.02.2012 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/087) Operations and clashes in South-east…
Two soldiers and ten militants were killed and four soldiers were wounded in the clash between Turkish Armed Forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKKKurdish Workers' Party ) armed wing People’s Defence Forces (HPGPeople's Defence Forces (armed wing of the PKK) ) in the rural part of Uludere District of Şırnak Province on 13 February 2012 (Radikal, 13 February).
(02/088) Operations and clashes in South-east…
The clash that had been sparkled in the rural part of Aktepe Village of Çınar District of Diyarbakır Province on 13 February 2012 was gone on inside the village and it was claimed that a militant was killed and another one was wounded. Four villagers were detained after the incident (Milliyet; Evrensel, 13 February).
(02/089) Death in prison…
Yılmaz Şahin Şakşak (44) a convict in Kepsut (Balıkesir) L Type Closed Prison was killed by other prisoners in a knife fight reported on 13 February 2012 (Zaman, 13 February).
(02/090) Ongoing KCKUnion of Communities in Kurdistan Operation…
At least 137 people taken into custody on 13 February 2012. Number of detained people set to increase after police operation in sixteen cities and towns.
As police operations come to an end the effects of the morning raids are becoming clearer. Today at least 137 people have been taken into custody within the context of the so called KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) operation. At least sixteen cities and towns in the country have been interested by the new simultaneous raids.
Targeted this morning have been the unions and the BDPPeace and Democracy Party (Peace and Democracy Party) in Ankara, Adana, Batman, Mardin, Van, Erzurum, Hakkari, Muş, Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Mersin, Şırnak, İzmir, Urfa, Antep and Hatay. It is understood that raids are still going on in some areas.
In Ankara Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESKConfederation of Trade Union in the Public Sector ), Trade Union of Public Employees in Health and Social Services (SES) and Municipal Workers' Union (TÜMBELSEN) have been targeted by police. (Agencies, 14 February).
(02/091) Hrant Dink Murder Case…
The Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court acquitted Çoşkun İğci, un-detained defendant of the trial about the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. The case included 19 defendants and was actually decided on 17 January. However, the court accidentally left out İğci from the final verdict.
The court held an additional hearing on Monday (13 February) and acquitted İğci.
The court delegation decreed for "a lack of conclusive and convincing evidence regarding his involvement in the Dink murder and his membership of a terrorist organization".
The hearing was attended by the defendant and his lawyer.
Court President Rüştem Eryılmaz said that by mistake a verdict about defendant İğci had not been given at the 17 January hearing. Therefore, a separate file was opened for İğci.
Prosecutor Hikmet Usta reiterated his plea for the defendant's acquittal.
İğci's lawyer claimed that his client was the uncle of convicted instigator Yasin Hayal but that he had no other connection to the incident. He requested İğci's acquittal.
Asked for his final comment, İğci said that he had reported to the officials the information he had received four months prior to the murder and that he had fulfilled his civic duty.
İğci stated, "I am not guilty at all. The people I informed were tried and punished on the grounds of negligence in Trabzon. These persons were Colonel Ali Öz, Captain Metin Yıldız, Sergeant Orhan Şimşek and Special Sergeant Veysel Şahin".
Thereupon, the judge asked İğci if he got in touch with these four people. The defendant replied, "I communicated with Sergeant Orhan Şimşek and Special Sergeant Veysel Şahin. I did not talk to the others in person".
İğci said that he had been worn out. "We were involved in this by accident. Even our friends distanced themselves from us. I want to be cleared from this incident. I request my acquittal".
The court board followed the prosecutor's final plea and ruled for İğci's acquittal from all charges.
İğci, former husband of Yasin Hayal's aunt, was working as an informant for the gendarmerie at the time of the murder.
According to his statements given at the prosecutor's office and at the police, he learned in July 2006 that Hayal planned to kill Hrant Dink. He said that Hayal asked him to supply him with a weapon.
İğci claimed to have informed the gendarmerie intelligence about the issue. He was apparently told to gain time with Hayal. "I strung Yasin along till September. After that, I gave him back the money he had given me to purchase a gun. The gendarmerie told me 'Yasin will not do that. He is under our surveillance, we took care of this issue'".
Documents of the prosecutor's office showed that İğci called triggerman Ogün Samast 57 times on his cell phone and eleven times on his home line. The conversations were not recorded so it is not known what they talked about.
When he was interrogated at the police and at the prosecutor's office, İğci was not asked any questions about his telephone conversations with Samast.
The Hrant Dink murder case was decided after five years on 17 January 2011 at the 25th session. All defendants were acquitted from charges of "membership of an illegal organization". Instigator Yasin Hayal received a life sentence. One of the most prominent names of the trial, Erhan Tuncel, was acquitted in the context of the Dink murder (bianet.org, 13 February).
(02/092) Allegations of mass graveyard in Diyarbakır Province…
Human bones and skulls that were allegedly belong to six people had been found during the excavations for the restoration of Central Closed Prison which was allegedly used by the Gendarmerie Intelligence and Fighting with Terrorism Department (JITEM) in 1990s in Suriçi Quarter of Diyarbakır Province on 11 January 2012. On 13 February 2012 remnants allegedly belong to five people were found during the excavations and the number of corpses became 34 (DHA, 13 February).
(02/093) Coercion in prison…
İman Çelikdemir, a prisoner in Hacılar (Kırıkkale) F Type Closed Prison, who has mental illnesses and could not provide his living by himself. Despite all the applications to the Forensic Medicine Institute the institute did not give a medical report on his mental health reported on 13 February 2012 (Özgür Gündem, 13 February).
(02/094) Attack on party building…
Material damage occurred with the explosio9n of a sound bomb in front of the Justice and Development Party’s (AKPJustice and Development Party ) representative office in Çamlık Quarter of Çekmeköy District of İstanbul Province on 13 February 2012 (Cumhuriyet, 13 February).
