ARBITRARY DETENTION AND ARREST
Throughout the week, prosecutors ordered the detention of at least 41 people over alleged links to the Gülen movement. In October 2020, a UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) opinion said that widespread or systematic imprisonment of individuals with alleged links to the group may amount to crimes against humanity. Solidarity with OTHERS has compiled a detailed database to monitor the Gülen-linked mass detentions since a failed coup in July 2016.
ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES
No news has emerged of Yusuf Bilge Tunç, a former public sector worker who was sacked from his job by a decree-law during the 2016-2018 state of emergency and who was reported missing as of August 6, 2019 in what appears to be one of the latest cases in a string of suspected enforced disappearance of government critics since 2016.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATION
April 25: The police in İstanbul intervened in Green Left Party (YSP) election events, detaining at least 22 people.
April 25: The police in Diyarbakır intervened in a protest about the widespread detention of Kurdish politicians and activists, detaining two people.
April 27: The police in Muş detained 10 people after their attendance in a Green Left Party (YSP) rally.
April 27: Gendarmes in Mersin intervened in a protest against the inauguration of a nuclear power plant, briefly detaining three people.
April 27: A district governorate in Kocaeli banned a May Day rally on the grounds that the planned venue was beyond the areas designated by the governorate.
April 28: The police in Diyarbakır detained five opposition party members and executives who were carrying out an election campaign event.
April 28: The police in İstanbul detained six journalists who staged a protest over the detention of their colleagues.
April 29: The police in İstanbul intervened in a demonstration about enforced disappearance cases of 80s and 90s, detaining 25 activists.
April 30: The police in İstanbul detained 13 people after their attendance at a Green Left Party (YSP) rally.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND MEDIA
April 25: An İstanbul court ruled to block access to a press freedom monitoring report about an earlier access ban imposed on news reports covering allegations about the president’s former lawyer.
April 25: An İstanbul court ruled to acquit journalist Nazan Özcan who stood trial on charges of insulting the president.
April 26: An Ankara court ruled to block access to at least three news reports covering allegations of bribery and corruption implicating high-ranking health ministry officials.
April 26: An İstanbul court ruled to acquit opposition politician Canan Kaftancıoğlu who stood trial on charges of insulting the president in a speech.
April 27: The police detained journalists Beritan Canözer, Mehmetşah Oruç, Abdurrahman Gök and Mikail Bulut as part of a Diyarbakır-based investigation into the Kurdish political movement. The operation, carried out across several provinces, led to the detention of at least 141 people including lawyers, activists and politicians.
April 27: An İstanbul court sentenced journalist Süleyman Hilmi Ak and media executive Metin Sarıkınacı to seven years, 15 days in prison on charges of inciting hatred and enmity among the public in a news report.
April 27: Van prosecutors launched an investigation into journalist Oktay Candemir over a news report about a local municipality. Candemir was summoned by the police for a questioning as part of the investigation.
April 27: İstanbul courts ruled to block access to nine YouTube videos of a businessman raising allegations of corruption implicating politicians and businesspeople close to the government. The authorities also banned access to three YouTube channels and two Twitter accounts allegedly belonging to the businessman, citing national security and public order reasons.
April 28: An Ankara court sentenced local Left Party executive Emre Ayduğan to one year, six months in prison on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda. The court suspended the sentence while banning Ayduğan from politics.
April 28: The police in Ankara briefly detained parliamentary candidate Elif Çongur on charges of insulting a ruling party executive.
April 28: The security detail of Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu assaulted journalist Filiz Gazi who asked a question to the minister. The minister’s guards reportedly confiscated the journalist’s phone and attempted to delete the videos.
April 28: An İstanbul court ruled to block access to an opinion column as well as two news reports covering allegations of corruption implicating an executive of the Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK).
April 28: An İstanbul court ruled to block access to at least three news reports covering criminal allegations implicating ruling party MP Tolga Ağar.
April 29: The police in Diyarbakır detained journalists Sedat Yılmaz and Dicle Müftüoğlu as part of an investigation into Kurdish political movements.
April 29: The police in Ankara detained two university students over the display of a banner criticizing the president.
April 30: The police detained journalist Nadiye Namoğlu Gürbüz as part of an operation against Kurdish political movements.
April 30: The police in İzmir detained local HDP executive Ekrem Karakoç due to slogans chanted at an election event.
April 30: İstanbul prosecutors indicted a 13-year-old minor on charges of insulting the president.
JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE & RULE OF LAW
April 27: Ankara prosecutors dismissed a criminal complaint against police officers who used excessive force while detaining three journalists during a protest in July 2022, citing lack of sufficient evidence.
KURDISH MINORITY
April 27: The police in 21 provinces detained at least 141 people, including activists, lawyers, politicians and journalists, as part of a Diyarbakır-based investigation into the Kurdish political movement.
April 27: The police detained Kurdish parliamentary candidate Ayten Dönmez on terrorism-related charges. The detention came after Dönmez was verbally targeted by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
April 29: The police in 15 provinces carried out house raids to detained 17 people as part of an investigation into Kurdish political movements.
April 30: A man named Ali Kaya was injured while beet picking in Hakkari due to a land mine explosion. Reports indicated that security forces put up warning signs about the minefield after the incident.
April 30: The police in eight provinces carried out house raids to detain 23 people, including parliamentary candidates from and journalists, as part of an investigation into Kurdish political movements.
REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS
April 25: Human Rights Watch accused Turkey’s border guards of shooting, torturing and using excessive force against Syrians seeking to flee their country.
TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT
April 25: The police in İstanbul physically assaulted a man named Yıldırım Bozkuş who was detained at an opposition party’s election event. Bozkuş’s arm was broken as a result of the police brutality.
April 25: Human Rights Watch accused Turkey’s border guards of shooting, torturing and using excessive force against Syrians seeking to flee their country.
April 27: Ankara prosecutors dismissed a criminal complaint against police officers who used excessive force while detaining three journalists during a protest in July 2022, citing lack of sufficient evidence.
April 28: The police in İstanbul mistreated six journalists who were detained at a protest.
April 29: The police in Diyarbakır physically assaulted journalist Sedat Yılmaz who was in custody.
April 30: The police in İstanbul sprayed tear gas into the eyes of HDP MP Züleyha Gülüm during an intervention in an election rally.