At least 275 people's right to life violated in August

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At least 275 people's right to life was violated in August, according to the Human Rights Violations Report of Turkey prepared by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

At least 143 people, including five children, were subjected to torture and 63 people were subjected to physical and psychological violence in prisons, CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu said during a press conference at the parliament.

Here are highlights from the report:

The police intervened in at least 40 events, such as press meetings, distributing leaflets, gatherings and demonstrations, detaining at least 127 people, 10 of which were later remanded in custody.

Investigations were opened against at least 10 people over their speeches or articles.

At least 11 people were detained and one was remanded in custody due to their social media posts.

Many members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), local administrators and NGO members were detained, 15 were remanded in custody.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak in Turkey, 32 doctors and 66 health workers have lost their lives, Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Chair Sinan Adıyaman stated.

Extrajudicial killings, stop warnings and random fires

İbrahim Baykara (46) was killed in the Çaldıran district of the eastern Van province after security forces opened fire on him. The official statement said he was killed as a result of fire from the Iran side of the border.

The police opened fire against a group that gathered for a send-off celebration for a conscript, wounding E.Ç. (15) in the face.

Landmines and explosives

Ö.I. (15) was wounded in the explosion of an object he found on the ground in Şırnak's İdil district August 4.

Y.A. (12) was wounded after an object he found exploded in Hakkari Yüksekova.

Torture

In August, 50 people, including 5 children, told the press that they were tortured by security forces in or out of detention centers.

At least 93 people were subjected to violence from the police/gendarmerie.

Deaths in prisons

Death fasting lawyer Ebru Timtik lost her life on August 27.

Mevlüt Öztaş, a former reporter for the Cihan News Agency, which was shut down by a statutory decree, lost his life on August 19. Öztaş was released from prison on June 26 after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Fatih Terzioğlu, who was kept in prison despite a progressing stomach cancer, was released on July 11. He lost his life on August 23.

Detained journalists and authors

Three journalists (Eylem Akdağ, Hakan Aygün, Erkan Akkuş) were detained and two journalists (Erkan Akkuş, Özgür Boğatekin) were remanded in custody.

According to the Independent Journalism Platform, there are at least 92 journalists in prison.

Access blocks

Access to Twitter accounts of Sözcü newspaper and Artı Gerçek news site was blocked.

Access to Sendika63.org, artigercek.com, kizilbayrak45.net news sites was blocked.

Access to news reports on ankahaber.com.tr, cumhuriyet.com.tr, odatv.com, birgun.net, sol.org.tr, krttv.com.tr was blocked.

Feminicides

According to the bianet Male Violence Monitoring Report, men inflicted violence on at least 122 women and killed at least four children in August. Abusing at least 20 children, including boys, men also harassed at least 21 women. Men forced at least 50 women to sex work in August 2020.

Occupational homicides

At least 208 workers lost their lives in August, according to the Health and Safety Labor Watch. (RT/VK)