30.04.2010 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/143) Police officer convicted...
On 29 April 2010 the trial against the police officer Suat Bayrakçı (42) concluded. On 9 November 2008 he had shot at A.Y. (16) and his friends in Adana allegedly because the people suspected of having stolen the motorcycle of M.Y. did not listen to stop warnings. He had injured A.Y. so badly that he remained paralysed.
At the hearing of Adana Heavy Penal Court 5 the police officer Suat Bayrakçı, who was not in pre-trial detention said that the incident was an accident and that he had seen those who stole the motorcycle of his friend. "There were three people on it. They did not follow stop warnings and fled. I followed the thieves with a motorcycle and tried to stop by shooting in the air. At that moment the motorcycle seemed to stop immediately, my hand bend forward and a shot came from the pistol."
The court asked for the final statement of the defendant and then announced its verdict. It sentenced Suat Bayrakçı to 10 years' imprisonment for possibly intentional injuring someone (Radikal, 29 April).
(04/144) Ongoing trial on lynch attempt...
On 26 April 2010 Edirne Penal Court No. 2 continued to hear the case of five people that had been indicted following a lynch attempt against members of the Youth Association in Edirne on 27 December 2009.. Having taken the identities of the five defendants that had not participated in an earlier hearing the court adjourned the hearing to 15 June 2010 to inspect the images of cameras (halkinsesi.tv, 29 April).
(04/145) Violations as a result of extreme use of force of the uniformed forces...
It was alleged that police officers handcuffed E.K. (18) on the back and beat him on 28 April 2010 after the had injured someone with his knife to the chest following a discussion in Adapazarı. When people around protested the police officer removed the handcuffs. E.K. protested to the chief of police who came to the spot, but reportedly was beaten again (Radikal, 29 April).
(04/146) Ongoing trial on operation in prison...
On 29 April 2010 Üsküdar Heavy Penal Court 1 continued to hear the case related to the intervention in Ümraniye Prison as part of the operation "return to life" on 19 December 2000 during which 32 people were killed. The lawyers of the sub-plaintiffs demanded the court's jury to withdraw because they were biased. The court rejected the demand and adjourned the hearing to 28 September 2010 to establish the address of a defendant (ETHA, 29 April).
(04/147) Persons Convicted...
On 29 April 2010 Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court 6 sentenced Bahri Erdem, Musata Kurt, Süleyman Bakır, Haydo Özalp, Nedim Biçer, Eyüp Sar, Garip Kandemir, Alim Çiftçi and Ahmet Güneş to 10 months' imprisonment according to Article 7/2 of the Law to Fight Terrorism for having made propaganda for an illegal organization. In 2008 they had sent a petition to court using the expression "honourable Öcalan" (Gündem, 29 April).
(04/148) Former deputy convicted...
On 29 April 2010 Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court 5 sentenced Hatip Dicle, former deputy of the closed down Democracy Party (DEP) to two years' imprisonment under Article 7/2 LFT for having made propaganda for an illegal organization in the final declaration of the Democratic Society Congress held in Diyarbakir on 13 and 14 June 2009.
Hatip Dicle is being held in pre-trial detention in Diyarbakir E-type Prison as part of the investigation against Koma Ciwaken Kurdistan (Union of Kurdish Communities) KCK/TMKCK Par lament Turkey (Turkey Assembly) (Hürriyet, 30 April).
(04/149) Child convicted...
On 28 April 2010 Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court 5 held final hearing on the imprisoned V.O. (16) charged with having thrown stones at the security forces during a demonstration in Mardin, Kızıltepe district on 15 February 2009.
The court sentenced him to five years and eight months' imprisonment for having made propaganda for an illegal organization and violated Law 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations (yeniozgurpolitika.com, 29 April).
(04/150) Temporary security region in Şırnak...
On the website of the General Staff it was announced on 28 April 2010 that 4 regions in Şırnak province are security regions between 1 May and 15 May 2010. It is forbidden to enter these regions (tsk.tr, 16 April).
