HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Many detained in police attack on vigil by Saturday Mothers 

  In Istanbul, the Saturday Mothers' vigil was once again prevented and 17 members of the initiative were taken into custody.
• Seriously ill prisoner Gulistan Abdo not treated 

  Gulistan Abdo, a seriously ill political prisoner in Gebze Prison, whose left leg was amputated due to gangrene for years after she was caught injured in 1994, has to live with platinum for the rest of her life. She has been in jail for 29 years.
• Lawyers and families of Öcalan and other prisoners in Imrali apply for visit 

  The lawyers and families of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners in Imralı applied for a visit on the occasion of the end of Ramadan.
• Ill prisoners in Edirne F Type undergo surgery in handcuffs 

  Prisoners in Edirne F Type jail are subjected to torture and violations of their rights. Ill prisoners have surgery in handcuffs, and are kept in isolation.
• Ministry of Justice says "unforeseeable reasons" responsible for two-year silence from Imrali 

  The Turkish Ministry of Justice, in the justification it submitted to the Constitutional Court regarding the isolation in Imrali, argued that there was no "ill-treatment", and that visits were interrupted due to "unforeseeable reasons".
• Criminal complaint against soldiers who tortured a lawyer in Hatay 

  Legal organizations in Izmir filed a criminal complaint against soldiers who tortured a lawyer in earthquake-hit Hatay province in southern Turkey.
• 68 female prisoners urge the CPT to stop deaths in Turkey’s prisons 

  In a letter, 68 women prisoners urged the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) “to stop deaths in Turkey’s prisons as soon as possible.”
• Şenyaşar family: "We will bring democracy and justice to the country together on 14 May" 

  Emine and Ferit Şenyaşar said on the 755th day of their Vigil for Justice: "We will bring democracy and justice to the country together on 14 May".
• Family of Lokman Görgün applies to IHD after his extra judicial execution 

  The family of Lokman Görgün, the father of 8 children who was executed in Mardin and accused of being a “PKK member” by the Turkish authorities, applied to the Human Rights Association (IHD).
• 12 detained as police attack Saturday Mothers in Istanbul 

  Despite a ruling by the Turkish Constitutional Court, Istanbul police again attacked the Saturday Mothers' demonstration at Galatasaray Square and detained twelve people.
• IHD co-chair taken into custody 

  IHD co-chair Eren Keskin was reportedly detained because of her social media posts.
• Number of executions in Iran rose sharply in 2022 

  According to the human rights organisation Iran Human Rights, at least 582 people were executed in 2022, a 75% increase compared to 2021.
• Earthquake survivor asks help for her blind son 

  Earthquake survivor Aylin Mutlu requested help to get a new eye prosthesis for her 9-year-old son who was born blind in the left eye.
• Society for Threatened Peoples calls for protection and support for Iraq's Mandaean community 

  The Society for Threatened Peoples has called for protection and support for Iraq's Mandaean community. There are about 100,000 believers in this religion worldwide, which is related to John the Baptist.
• Amnesty International: HDP closure would violate rights to freedom of expression and association 

  Amnesty International said in a statement that the "HDP closure would violate rights to freedom of expression and association."
• ISIG: At least 463 workers lost their lives in first three months of 2023 

  The Occupational Health and Safety Council (ISIG) said that at least 463 workers lost their lives in the first three months of the year.
• Yoleri: There is no longer democracy in Turkey 

  Human rights defender Yoleri said that the AKP government has not hesitated to violate human rights from the very beginning, adding that the international system also played a role in the democratic backslide.
• CHRI calls for freedom for jailed rapper facing possible execution in Iran 

  Since October, the rapper Toomaj Salehi has been in a prison in Iran. He was tortured and beaten until he almost went blind, several bones are broken, and he faces the death penalty. However, he is being denied necessary medical help.
• Saturday Mothers detained in Istanbul - UPDATE 

  Despite the Constitutional Court ruling that the police intervention against the Saturday Mothers' 700th week protest in August 2018 violated the rights of the protestors, the mothers were once again attacked and detained by the police today.
• Families apply to visit their relatives on Imrali 

  The families of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and the other prisoners on Imrali applied to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the Imrali Prison Directorate for a meeting with their relatives.
• Lawyers apply once again to visit Öcalan 

  Lawyers of the Asrın Law Office have applied to meet with their client, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.
• ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal against a ruling on 13 HDP members of parliament 

  The ECtHR ruling on the unlawful arrest of former HDP leader Figen Yüksekdağ and twelve other MPs of the party at the time is final. The Court rejected Turkey's appeal and refused to hear an appeal.
• Lawyers file another application to meet Öcalan 

  Lawyers of the Asrın Law Office have applied to meet with their client, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.
• 16 people in executed in the month of March in Rojhilat 

  The Kurdistan Human Rights Organization said that the Iranian regime has executed 16 people in the past month, while 4 others were sentenced to death.
• Iranian state forces killed 536 kolbars in 10 years 

  Iranian state forces have killed 536 kolbars on the borders between Bashur and Rojhilat Kurdistan in the last 10 years.