ARBITRARY DETENTION AND ARREST
Throughout the week, prosecutors ordered the detention of at least 142 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.
June 12: Kurdish musician Dildar Didêrî announced that he was briefly abducted in Diyarbakır by individuals who introduced themselves as police officers and taken to a remote location in a vehicle without a license plate. Didêrî said he was left on the side of a road four hours later.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATION
June 12: The police in Muş detained 18 people over their attendance in the funeral of a man who died in an armed attack against a Kurdish cultural center in Paris. On June 15, the police intervened in a demonstration held to protest the detentions, briefly detaining four others.
June 13: The police in İzmir intervened in a picnic event organized on the occasion of LGBT pride month, briefly detaining five university students.
June 13: The Siirt Governor’s Office issued a ban on all outdoor gatherings for a period of 15 days.
June 15: The police in İstanbul intervened in a workers’ protest, detaining six people.
June 15: The police in Tekirdağ detained labor union executives Güneş Atalay and Cahit Atalay. The reason for their detention was not disclosed. The police also raided the provincial office of their union, confiscating computers and printed material. The detainees were released under judicial control two days later.
June 15: The governor of İstanbul announced a ban on all pride activities in the province, citing concerns about the “protection of the family.”
June 15: The Eskişehir Governor’s Office issued a ban on all LGBT pride month activities for a period of 30 days.
June 15: An Eskişehir court ruled to acquit seven people who stood trial over their attendance in an LGBT pride march in July 2022.
June 16: A district governor’s office in İstanbul banned a cultural event organized by a Kurdish NGO.
June 16: The Aydın Governor’s Office issued a ban on all LGBT pride events for a period of three days.
June 16: A district governor’s office in Muğla issued a ban on all LGBT pride month activities for a period of 10 days.
June 17: A district governor’s office in İstanbul banned a stand-up comedy event on the grounds that its poster contained a reference to LGBT people.
June 17: The governor of İzmir announced a blanket ban on all LGBT pride month events.
June 18: The police in İstanbul intervened in an LGBT pride march, briefly detaining 10 people.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND MEDIA
June 12: An Ankara court ruled to acquit Kurdish journalist Ceylan Şahinli who stood trial on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda over her attendance in events.
June 13: The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) faulted Turkey in the case of former MP Osman Baydemir who was disciplined for referring to “Kurdistan” during a parliamentary session. The ECtHR ruled that the parliament’s disciplinary sanction was in violation of freedom of expression.
June 13: Adana prosecutors launched an investigation into lawyer Tugay Bek over his social media criticism of a high-ranking military officer. Bek was summoned by the police for a questioning as part of the investigation.
June 13: Prosecutors launched an investigation into journalist Cüneyt Arat over his social media commentary about an exiled journalist. Arat was summoned by the police for a questioning as part of the investigation.
June 13: An İstanbul court ruled to acquit journalists Canan Coşkun and Barış Pehlivan who stood trial over their reporting.
June 14: An İstanbul court handed down a suspended prison sentence of 23 months to journalist Gökay Başcan on insult charges due to his reporting on high judiciary member Yüksel Kocaman’s close ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
June 14: A Van court handed down a suspended prison sentence of more than four months to journalist İdris Yılmaz for “intentional injury” over his attempt to defend himself when he was assaulted by a contractor while reporting on a construction project.
June 14: The police in Antalya detained a minor for carrying the flag of a socialist militant during May Day demonstrations.
June 15: An Ankara court ruled to acquit Aslı Saraç, a former executive of the Human Rights Association (İHD) who stood trial on charges of disseminating terrorist propaganda due to her social media posts.
June 16: An Adana court sentenced Kurdish musician İlyas Arzu to six years, three months in prison on terrorism-related charges due to music lessons he gave. Musician Jiyan Savcı who also stood trial in the same case was acquitted.
June 16: Sakarya prosecutors launched an investigation into journalist Diren Yurtsever over her reporting on allegations that a military commander sexually abused 15 soldiers. Yurtsever was summoned by the police for a questioning as part of the investigation.
June 16: Alparslan Kuytul, a religious community leader who was imprisoned following his outspoken criticism of the government, was released from pretrial detention on judicial probation.
June 16: Safiye Alagaş, one of the Kurdish journalists who were arrested in June 2022, was released under judicial control after the first hearing of her trial.
June 17: Journalist Sinan Aygül announced that he was physically assaulted by the security team of Mehmet Emin Geylani, the ruling party mayor of a district in the province of Bitlis. The incident occurred after Aygül reported on alleged municipal irregularities implicating Geylani. Aygül said the attackers also verbally threatened him, saying “If you write about the mayor again, you’ll die.”
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
June 15: An Ankara court ruled to acquit Aslı Saraç, a former executive of the Human Rights Association (İHD) who stood trial on charges of disseminating terrorist propaganda due to her social media posts.
JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE & RULE OF LAW
June 14: The Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) launched an investigation into judge Ahmet Çakmak who filed an appeal against the nomination of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a presidential candidate on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.
June 14: The police in Diyarbakır detained lawyer Süleyman Şahin at the instruction of local prosecutors. Şahin was released under judicial control two days later.
KURDISH MINORITY
June 12: Kurdish musician Dildar Didêrî announced that he was briefly abducted in Diyarbakır by individuals who introduced themselves as police officers and taken to a remote location in a vehicle without a license plate. Didêrî said he was left on the side of a road four hours later.
June 12: The police in Şırnak detained 12 people, including local HDP executives.
June 12: The police in Muş detained 18 people over their attendance in the funeral of a man who died in an armed attack against a Kurdish cultural center in Paris.
June 12: An Ankara court ruled to acquit Kurdish journalist Ceylan Şahinli who stood trial on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda over her attendance in events.
June 13: The police in Bitlis detained local Kurdish politicians Berivan Birlik and Mahmut Arıkbağ.
June 13: The police in Ankara detained HDP executive Doğan Erbaş on account of an upheld prison sentence of 14 years, nine months and 22 days handed down to him on terrorism-related charges.
June 13: The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) faulted Turkey in the case of former MP Osman Baydemir who was disciplined for referring to “Kurdistan” during a parliamentary session. The ECtHR ruled that the parliament’s disciplinary sanction was in violation of freedom of expression.
June 14: The police in Tekirdağ detained five people, including local Kurdish politicians, on terrorism-related charges. The detainees were arrested by a court two days later.
June 15: A Diyarbakır court ruled to acquit Kurdish politician Mehmet Şirin Tunç who stood trial as part of an investigation into the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), an umbrella organization for several pro-Kurdish political networks.
June 16: An Adana court sentenced Kurdish musician İlyas Arzu to six years, three months in prison on terrorism-related charges due to music lessons he gave. Musician Jiyan Savcı who also stood trial in the same case was acquitted.
June 16: The police in Tunceli detained former HDP executive Hıdır Çiçek.
June 16: The police in İstanbul raided a district office of the HDP, confiscating printed materials.
June 16: A district governor’s office in İstanbul banned a cultural event organized by a Kurdish NGO.
June 16: Safiye Alagaş, one of the Kurdish journalists who were arrested in June 2022, was released under judicial control after the first hearing of her trial.
OTHER MINORITIES
June 13: The police in İzmir intervened in a picnic event organized on the occasion of LGBT pride month, briefly detaining five university students.
June 15: The governor of İstanbul announced a ban on all pride activities in the province, citing concerns about the “protection of the family.”
June 15: The Eskişehir Governor’s Office issued a ban on all LGBT pride month activities for a period of 30 days.
June 16: The Aydın Governor’s Office issued a ban on all LGBT pride events for a period of three days.
June 16: A district governor’s office in Muğla issued a ban on all LGBT pride month activities for a period of 10 days.
June 17: A district governor’s office in İstanbul banned a stand-up comedy event on the grounds that its poster contained a reference to LGBT people.
June 17: The governor of İzmir announced a blanket ban on all LGBT pride month events.
June 18: The police in İstanbul intervened in an LGBT pride march, briefly detaining 10 people.
PRISON CONDITIONS
June 14: A prison administration in Kırşehir rejected sick inmate Süleyman Ayaz’s request for a medical test. Ayaz suffers from osteoporosis.
June 16: The Human Rights Association (İHD) reported an increase in rights violations in prisons such as arbitrary suspension of social activities as well as phone communications, unjust solitary confinement and lack of access to healthcare.
REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS
June 13: The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) released an interim measure ordering Greek authorities not to remove 56 Turkish asylum seekers who crossed from Turkey into Greece.
TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT
June 12: The guards in an Iğdır prison mistreated inmates and threatened lawyers who visited to meet with their clients.
June 14: An Erzurum prison restricted the communication privileges of sick inmate Sinan Karaer for 16 months on account of disciplinary investigations against him.
June 14: The guards in a Kırşehir prison strip-searched a baby who was among the visitors of an inmate.
June 15: The guards in a Kırşehir prison damaged and confiscated inmates’ personal items during a ward search.
June 16: An Ankara court sentenced Turkish-Kyrgyz educator Orhan İnandı to 21 years in prison on terrorism-related charges due to his links to the Gülen movement. In 2021, İnandı was abducted from Kyrgyzstan by Turkish intelligence and rendered to Turkey. His first public images after his rendition to Turkey showed marks of torture on his body. At the first hearing of his trial in November 2021, İnandı himself confirmed the suspicions and said he was interrogated under torture for 37 days.
TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION
June 15: Reports claimed that a civilian was among 16 people who were killed in Turkey’s drone strike in northeast Syria.
June 16: An Ankara court sentenced Turkish-Kyrgyz educator Orhan İnandı to 21 years in prison on terrorism-related charges due to his links to the Gülen movement. In 2021, İnandı was abducted from Kyrgyzstan by Turkish intelligence and rendered to Turkey. His first public images after his rendition to Turkey showed marks of torture on his body. At the first hearing of his trial in November 2021, İnandı himself confirmed the suspicions and said he was interrogated under torture for 37 days.