26.02-02.03.2009 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/001) Abdi İpekçi Murder Case …
Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 7 dropped the court case against Yalcin Özbey and Yusuf Celikkaya, charged in connection with the killing of Abdi Ipekci, editing director and chief columnist of the daily Milliyet, on 1 February 1979, because the 30 year's lapse of time had expired. The decision was taken on 27 February (ntvmsnbc.com, 27 February).
(03/002) Killing in Antalya by unknown assailant …
On 1 March 2009 the burned corpse of Bisar Kaya (44), candidate of the DTP for the provincial parliament in Van, was found in Fenike district (Antalya) at a construction site. (atilim.org, 1 March).
(03/003) Extra-judicial execution in Adana …
On 26 February 2009 the police officer F.Y. killed Mehmet Köten with a shot of his pistol after a discussion they had in Kozan district (Adana). F.Y. was detained (ntvmsnbc.com, 27 February).
(03/004) Trial of an extra-judicial execution in Antalya …
A court case was launched against the police officer M.E. in connection with the killing of Cagdas Gemik (18) on 27 October 2008 in Antalya. Cagdas Gemik was driving a motorcycle and allegedly did not listen to stop warnings. The prosecutor's officers demanded life imprisonment for the police officer, who is in pre-trial detention, for intentionally killing a person. The case will be heard at Antalya Heavy Penal Court No. 3 (Radikal, 27 February).
(03/005) Extra-judicial execution in Istanbul …
On 28 February 2009 a discussion between Ferhat Alparslan (28), who introduced himself as a plain clothes detective and Zafer and Oktay Aydin turned into a fight in Kadiköy district (Istanbul). Ferhat Alparslan killed both Zafer Aydin and Oktay Aydin with his gun. F.A. found to be working as a technician at the Directorate of Istanbul Rapid Deployment Force, was detained (Yeni Şafak, 2 March).
(03/006) Clash in Sivas …
On 1 March 2009 the police intervened in Sivas when people allegedly took off cobblestones. Four police officers were injured and 8 people were detained (ntvmsnbc.com, 1 March).
(03/007) Threatening mail to HRAHuman Rights Association …
On 5 February 2009 a person using the name of “Bozkurtkaan” and the address almendov@mynet.com sent a threatening letter to the headquarters of the Human Rights Association (HRA) signed by Turkish Revenge Brigades (TIT).The mail said, “If you continue to defend people like Baskin Oran who will join Hrant Dink. The HRA filed an official complaint with the prosecutor's office in Ankara (Evrensel, 1 March).
(03/008) Juvenile convicted …
On 1 March it was learned that Van Heavy Penal Court No. 4 convicted the juvenile Yakup Turgut (15) for intentionally killing, intentionally wounding people, possession of explosives and organizational documents and membership of an illegal organization. The court case had been launched after an attack on Cumhuriyet Police Station in Van in 17 September 2006 during which 2 police officers were killed and 2 police officers were wounded. In the verdict of the last week of February 2009 the court sentenced Yakup Turgut to 90 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 4,500 YTL (Günlük, 1 March).
(03/009) Impunity for torture and ill-treatment in detention …
On 27 February 2009 Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 5 continued to hear the case of 7 police officers charged with having tortured Sezai Karakus, who committed suicide on 22 December 2004 in Tekirdag F-type Prison. The prosecutor maintained that Sezai Karakus may have been injured when he resisted detention and demanded acquittal for the defendants. The court followed his demand and acquitted the police officers Ümit Aktaş, Muhatlip Günay, Şükrü Bahar, Murat Kavaklı, Mehmet Sait Dündar, Ayhan Albayrak and Serap Tola (Birgün, 28 February).
(03/010) Death in Prison …
Besir Özer had been placed in pre-trial detention on allegations that he had supported an illegal organization in Cizre district (Sirnak). Some 2 months ago he suffered from bleeding in the stomach and was taken from Mardin E-type Prison to the Hospital of Dicle University in Diyarbakir. After treatment for two weeks he was taken to Diyarbakir D-type Prison. Besir Özer, who was suffering from insufficiency of the kidneys and high pressure, died on 28 February 2009 (Günlük, 2 March).
(03/011) Engin Çeber’s death as a result of torture …
A letter of Engin Ceber, who died on 10 October 2008, after having been tortured in custody and prison, was published. He wrote the letter on 6 October 2008:“HelloI'm writing you from Metris T-type Closed Prison No. 2, ward B-8.
The reason: Özgür Karakaya, Cihan Gül, Aysu Baykal and I were arrested on 28 September 2008 on accusations of having resisted police officers on duty. In the evening we were taken to Metris T-type Prison. First we were attacked by soldiers who wanted to strip us stark naked. The beat us with truncheons. The police officers had told them that we were terrorists who had killed soldiers. Under the pretext of a search the soldiers attacked us and handed us over to the guardians.
After that we were taken to a place called quarantine where non-political prisoners were. During the count at 8am on 30 September 2008 guardians attacked us. Their attacks lasted for two days, since we refused the count in a standing position. We were subjected to inhuman treatment each time at 8am and 8pm.
The attacks were carried out with wooden sticks, small irons, by pouring cold and washing water over our heads. On the third day we were separated. Each of us three we mixed with non-political prisoners. We continued to sit during the counts. Since Friday we are at our places and since two days the attacks seem to have stopped.
We could not show the bruises and the pain we have to anyone and were not taken to hospital or the infirmary. I applied to be put together with the others (friends)...
The court case of Engin Ceber will be heard on 4 April 2009 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court N. 14 (Radikal, 2 March).
(03/012) Pressure in Prison …
Gıyasettin Kartal, who on 26 February 2009 had gone to see his nephew Ihsan Kartal in Kirikkale F-type Prison, said that guardians intervened when they spoke Kurdish and the conversation was cut short (Gündem, 26 February).
(03/013) Pressure in Prison …
Canan Çeki who on 25 February 2009 went to see Mesut Çeki in Kırıkkale F-type Prison said that the time for conversation was shortened with no reason and that the search on entry was carried out in the presence of dogs (atilim.org, 27 February).
(03/014) Juvenile Convicted …
On 27 February 2009 Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court No. 5 sentenced S.D. (17) to one year's imprisonment under Article 7/2 of the Law to Fight Terrorism for having made propaganda for an illegal organization. During the opening of the DTP office in Urfa on 6 November 2008 he allegedly had made the victory sign. The sentenced was reduced to 6 months and 20 days' imprisonment (Sabah, 28 February).
(03/015) Candidate for the post of mayor convicted …
On 26 February 2009 Van Heavy Penal Court No. 3 sentenced Selim Sadak, candidate to become mayor of Siirt to 10 months' imprisonment. The verdict was passed for a speech he made on 5 March 2008 in Ercis district (Van) in connection with the killing of Mehmet Deniz and based on Article 7/2 of the Law to Fight Terrorism for having made propaganda for an illegal organization (Gündem, 28 February).
(03/016) Convicted People …
On 27 February 2009 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 8 sentenced Türkan Ortaç, Dursun Sanlı, Mümin Yaman, Mehmet Nuri Özen and Adile Ortaç (76) to one year's imprisonment. They had participated in a press conference in Iskenderun district (Hatay) on 12 February 2006 related to anniversary of the abduction of Abdullah Öcalan and him being taken to Turkey. The verdict was based on Article 7/2 of the Law to Fight Terrorism for having made propaganda for an illegal organization. (Günlük, 1 March).
(03/017) DTP member Convicted …
On 25 February 2009 Adana Heavy Penal Court No. 7 sentenced Mustafa Avci and Ali Karuc, members of the central executive council of the Party for a Democratic Society (DTP) to 10 months' imprisonment. The verdict was passed for words they said during Newroz festivities on 23 March 2008 and based on Article 7/2 of the Law to Fight Terrorism for having made propaganda for an illegal organization (Vatan, 25 February).
(03/018) Paper banned …
On 28 February Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13 banned the weekly paper Analiz Gazetesi from being published for one month. The Court also ordered the confiscation of edition 6. In this edition of 28 February to 6 March 2009 an article on pages 5 and 6 entitled "The Americas of Obama with take violence as the basis" was shown as a violation of Article 6 of the Law to Fight Terrorism (ANF, 28 February).
(03/019) Violation before and after 21 March Celebrations …
On 26 February 2009 teams of Ankara Police HQ conducted raids under the name of “Newroz Cleanings” and detained 15 students. In Malatya one student was detained. The orders for detention had been issued by Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 11 on allegations of membership of and propaganda for an illegal organization (atilim.org, 26 February).
(03/020) Incidents in connection with the anniversary of Abdullah Öcalan being abducted in Kenia on 15 February 1999 …
Three of four people who had been detained in Batman on 25 February 2009 were arrested on 27 February 2009 and taken to Batman M-type Prison. Thus the number of arrests in Batman in connection with the 15 February protests has risen to 46 (Gündem, 27 February).In Menemen the member of the election commission of the DTP, Aslan İlhan, was arrested on charges of damaging public property and taken to Kiriklar F-type Prison on 27 February. Thus the number of arrests in Menemen has risen to 11 (Gündem, 27 February).Fahrettin Bor (24), who had been detained in Yüksekova district (Hakkari) was arrested on 25 February 2009 on charges of making propaganda for an illegal organization (Günlük, 26 February).
(03/021) Violations, incidents related to the local elections on 29 March 2009 …
On 23 February 2009 an unknown person shot at the office of the Bliss Party in Konya. Since the office was empty nobody was hurt (Milliyet, 24 February).Material damage occurred as a result of shots fired at two offices of the Party for Justice and Development (AKPJustice and Development Party ) in Samandag district (Hatay) on 25 February 2009 (Vatan, 25 February).
Material damage occurred as a result of stones thrown at the office of the Party for Justice and Development (AKP) in Sokulu Caddesi, Cankaya district (Ankara) on 24 February 2009 (Sabah, 25 February).
On 25 February 2009 a group including village guards hindered member of the Party for a Democratic Society (DTP) to go to the election office in Görümlü town (Sirnak province). Two people were injured in the ensuing fight (ntvmsnbc.com, 25 February).
Material damage occurred as a result of stones thrown at the office of the DTP in Mersin on 25 February 2009. Executives of the DTP said that the office had been attacked three times during the last week. (Milliyet, 25 February).
Material damage occurred in four buildings as a result of parallel attacks at four offices of the DTP in Karabaglar and Aliaga district (Izmir) and Gülmarmara district (Manisa) on 24 February 2009 (Gündem, 25 February).
Material damage occurred as a result of a Molotov cocktail attack at an office of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHPNationalist Movement Party ) in Alibeyköyü district (Istanbul) on 24 February 2009 (atilim.org, 25 February).
Material damage occurred as a result of stones thrown at an office of the Party for Justice and Development (AKP) in Konya on 25 February 2009 (ANF, 26 February).
On 27 February 2009 a group had gathered in Hacibekir quarter of Van to protest against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan coming to Van. The police intervened with water and gas bombs and detained 20 people (Gündem, 27 February).
On 26 February 2009 a group of DTP members was attacked in Erciş district (Van). Mürsel Sayıner was injured at his foot (Gündem, 26 February).
Following the incidents after the speech of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Batman on 28 February 2009 the election office of the AKP and the hotel of the AKP candidate were attacked with stones (ntvmsnbc.com, 28 February).
Material damage occurred as a result of an attack at an office of the DTP in Yalova on 28 February 2009 (ANF, 1 March).
Three people were injured when a fight broke out between an attacking group of five people and DTP members in Tekirdag on 1 March 2009. The police detained 3 attackers and two DTP members (Radikal, 2 March).
Material damage occurred as a result of an attack on an office of the DTP in Gaziantep on 1 March 2009 (ANF, 1 March).
Material damage occurred as a result of a second attack on an office of the Party for Justice and Development (AKP) in Karabgalar district (Izmir) on 28 February 2009 (Gündem, 1 March).
Material damage occurred as a result of an attack on an office of the DTP in Kagithane district (Istanbul) on 28 February 2009 (Gündem, 1 March).
Windows were broken, when unknown people attacked the election office of the DTP in Aksu district (Antalya) on 27 February 2009 (Günlük, 1 March).
(03/022) Attack on the HQ of a political party …
Following the speech of Ahmet Türk in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Kurdish on 24 February 2009 an extreme right-wing group attacked the HQ of the DTP on 26 February 2009 (atilim.org, 27 February).
(03/023) Trade Unionists Arrested …
Önder Dogan, chief of Sivas branch of the teachers union (Eğitim-Sen) and Necati Sezginer, chief of Sivas branch of the union for transport (BTS), who had been detained on 25 February 2009, were arrested on 27 February 2009 on charges of propaganda for an illegal organization and taken to Erzurum H-type Prison (Gündem, 27 February).
(03/024) Detentions and Arrests …
Nurullah Tereci, student at the Kafkas University in Kars was arrested on 25 February 2009 on charges of propaganda for an illegal organization (Gündem, 25 February).Six of 14 people who had been detained on Karamese (Tire) village in Sason district (Batman) on 19 February 2009 were arrested on 24 February 2009 on charges of supporting an illegal organization and taken to Batman M-type Prison (Gündem, 25 February).
