29.12.2009 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/149) The person killed by a police officer…
Police officer S.A. (32) killed E.G. with his firearm whom he quarrelled with on the grounds that he sang a song in Kurdish in a bar in Ankara Province in the night of 26 December 2009. Zafer Şimşek who was not related with the quarrel was seriously wounded in the incident. S.A. who was alleged to be a former member of Special Operations Department was detained after the incident (Sabah, 29 December).
(12/150) The Case of Kertê (Bilge) Village Massacre…
On 28 December 2009 Çorum Heavy Penal Court went on hearing the case against 11 temporary village guards who have been tried in connection with killing 44 people and wounding 7 others in a village wedding ceremony in Kertê (Bilge) Village of Mazıdağı District of Mardin Province on 4 May 2009. The court prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the eight defendants and the hearing was postponed to wait the incident scene’s evaluation report of Mazıdağı Penal Court of First Instance to 8 February 2010 (Zaman, 28 December).
(12/151) Investigation launched against the mayor…
On 28 December 2009 Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecution Office launched an investigation against Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir who criticised the operation in which police teams raided on Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDPPeace and Democracy Party ) and Human Rights Association’s (İHD) Diyarbakır Province Branches on 24 December 2009 on charges of “insulting Turkish Nation, the Republic of Turkey, the organs and institutions of the State” under Article 301 of TPCTurkish Penal Code (ntvmsnbc.com, 28 December).
(12/152) Convicted journalist…
İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 11 sentenced Adnan Demir, the editor of Taraf Newspaper, to a fine of 16,660 TL in connection with the news titled “The Head of The Judges is F Type” which was published in the newspaper on 7 May 2008 on charges of pointing Ali Suat Ertosun who was the General Director of the Prisons during the prison operations on 19 December 2000 “as a target for illegal organisations” (sesonline.net, 28 December).
(12/153) Acquitted journalist…
Gaziantep Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 acquitted Yasin Yetişgen, the editor of weekly Çoban Ateşi Newspaper which has been published in Gaziantep Province, in connection with the article of Berkant Coşkun titled “Mother Don’t Send Me to Army” published on 8 November 2007 on charges of “alienating people from military service” under Article 318 of TPC and “insulting the memory of Atatürk” under Article 1 of the Law on Offences against Atatürk No. 5816 on 24 December 2009 (TİHV, 28 December).
