ARBITRARY DETENTION AND ARREST
Throughout the week, prosecutors ordered the detention of at least 75 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.
April 16: Nilgül Doğan, the wife of 83-year-old retired general Çetin Doğan, has announced that her husband’s incarceration has led to a significant deterioration of his health, resulting in risks to his life.
April 17: Police in western Turkey have detained 36 people, including several dozen small business owners, on accusations of links to the Gülen movement, a faith-based group accused by the Turkish government of “terrorist activities”.
April 17: A Turkish court on Tuesday postponed the verdict in the long-running Kobani trial and ruled to continue the detention of 18 people, including Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş.
April 19: Sixty people have been detained in as many as 14 cities for alleged links to the Gülen movement, a faith-based group outlawed by Ankara.
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 18: 18 people were detained during the police intervention against the strike of factory workers in Kemalpaşa district of Izmir on 7 March 2024, on the grounds of not getting their rights in the factory where they work.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND MEDIA
April 16: The news made by the reporter of the British newspaper The Sun about health tourism in Turkey with hidden camera footage and at least 4 news articles published in the Turkish press on the subject were blocked from access by the decision of Izmir 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace on the grounds of violation of personal rights.
April 16: On 31 March 2024, an investigation was initiated against journalist Oktay Candemir on the charge of 'insulting a public officer' upon the complaint of Abdulahat Arvas, mayoral candidate of Justice and Development Party (AKP) for Van Metropolitan Municipality.
April 18: Dutch freelance journalist Frederike Geerdink has reported that she received death threats after criticizing Selçuk Bayraktar, the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a key figure in Turkey’s drone industry.
April 19: Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into a Kurdish man who questioned the voters who were allegedly “transferred” to his city of residence in the southeastern province of Şırnak on the day of the March 31 local elections in order to change the election results in favor of the ruling party.
April 19: The panel within the scope of the 8th Media Days organised by METU Media Community was cancelled due to the censorship imposed on journalist Hayri Demir by the rectorate.
April 19: Journalist Metin Cihan's at least 3 posts on his X account, in which he raised the issue that Erkan Kösedağ, Ağrı Provincial Deputy Director of Culture and Tourism and President of Ağrı Federation of Amateur Sports Clubs, had sexually abused child athletes, and at least 3 news articles on the subject were blocked from access by the Access Providers Association on the grounds of violation of personal rights.
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
April 17: Governorate of Şırnak Governorate announced that Altındağları Region in Beytüşşebap District of Şırnak Province was declared as temporary special security zone for 15 days between 17 April 2024 and 1 May 2024.
JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE & RULE OF LAW
April 18: The Dutch parliament has voted to make the modernization of the European Union customs union agreement with Turkey conditional on the release of two high-profile prisoners, as ordered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), in a significant step ahead of the 10th Wittenburg Conference.
KURDISH MINORITY
April 17: Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Ağrı Diyadin District Co-Chair Ahmet Karatay was detained in a house raid through an investigation conducted by Ağrı Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and was taken to Ağrı Provincial Security Directorate. The reason for the detention is not known.
REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS
April 16: A controversial mayor, Tanju Özcan, from Turkey’s main opposition party who is known for his anti-refugee discourse has promised “an astronomical increase” in bus fares for foreign university students in the northwestern province of Bolu.
April 17: Workplaces with Arabic signboards were inspected upon the instruction of the mayors and the Arabic signboards in Bursa, Kilis and Konak district of Izmir were removed by the police teams.
TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT
April 17: 1 person was subjected to physical violence of the police during police intervention to a fight between two groups in Izmit district of Kocaeli.
April 19: 52 refugees were subjected to verbal and physical violence by GGM staff and security guards in Döşemealtı Repatriation Centre (GGM) in Antalya.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
April 18: Buse Ateş Suna, who was allegedly beaten by her husband, died after remaining in a coma for two months.
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