Documentation Center of TİHV (Human Rights Foundation of Turkey) reported the violation of rights committed against the civilians during the curfew in Silvan district of Diyarbakir. In the report, it is stated that 6 people were killed by the security forces. After the release of TİHV’s report, another civilian was killed in Mescit Neighborhood in Slivan.
The curfew in 3 neighborhoods of Silvan is going on for 11 days now. This is the 6th curfew that is declared in Silvan in the last 2 months.
The other day, Süleyman Güleç was shot to death in Mescit Neighborhood, which is in the scope of the curfew. With Güleç’s death, the death toll in the district reached 7.
According to TİHV’s report, here are the civilians who were killed and the violation of rights in Silvan:
November 3
Müslüm Tayyar (22), who was going home in the morning, was killed by the fire from an armored police vehicle.
And in the evening, Sertip Polat (20) was shot to death during an operation that was conducted by special operation forces.
People gathered in Azizoğlu Street of Cami Neighborhood to protest the curfew and special operation forces fired into the crowd. During this attack, Abdulkerim Eleftos (27) was shot in the leg and the former director of Kurdi-Der Faysal Korkmaz (40) was injured by the shrapnel pieces coming from a grenade thrower.
November 4
Due to the fire of special operation forces, Engin Gezici (24) was gravely injured.
İsmet Gezici (55), who was trying to go up to her injured nephew, was also shot by the same forces. Both civilians died in the hospital.
November 5
Police attacked Mukaddes Arbağ’s (33) house and she was injured during this attack.
November 6-7
On November 6, Rıdvan Us (20) and on November 7, Adnan Bakır, who was reported to be a shopkeeper in Tekel Neighborhood, were gravely injured by the shrapnel pieces coming from a grenade thrower.
November 8
A howitzer hit Mehmet Emin Çiçek’s (70) house on Azizoğlu Street and he got injured.
November 9
Special operation forces raked a coffee house in Feridun Neighborhood, which isn’t in the scope of the curfew, and Mehmet Gündüz (45) was killed during this attack. Seyfettin Kurt (44), Abdulsamet Kesici (50) and Kudbettin Çiçek were gravely injured.
In the evening, Yakup Sinbağ (20) was shot to death during the fire by special operation forces in Tekel Neighborhood.
Mustafa Sağlam (26) was also shot to death during the fire in Selahattin Neighborhood.
20.000 people abandoned the district
TİHV reported the result of the curfews:
- Since August 16, on which the first curfew was declared, 14 civilians were killed.
- From November 3 onward, tanks have been blockading the district by deploying around the district. The military operations, including the airstrikes by helicopters, continue day-and-night.
- In the 3 neighborhoods, where the curfew is declared, phone lines are cut off and there is no internet connection, water and electricity. People cannot access any food, including bread, and these neighborhoods became inhabitable because of the clashes and attacks.
- It is reported that special operation forces made announcements from their armored vehicles saying, “Abandon the neighborhood or else we will shoot you all.”
- 86.000 people live in Silvan and after the operations, 20.000 people abandoned the district.
- On November 10, a committee, including HDP MPs Çağlar Demirel and Feleknas Uca, wanted to go to Mescit Neighborhood but the security forces didn’t allow them.
- It is claimed that an official from the Ministry of the Interior said to HDP MPs that the operations will be intensified and they will wipe those three neighborhoods off the map.
Attack against protests
People staged demonstrations in other cities and districts as an act of solidarity with Silvan and during some of those demonstrations, right to life, expression and assembly was violated:
23 people were taken into custody on November 7 during a demonstration in Diyarbakir Street of Cami Neighborhood.
On November 9, people staged a demonstration in Cizre District of Şırnak. Police forces fired into the crowd and Mehmet Emin Butanri (42) and Rafet Aşut (23) were injured.
14 people, consisting of HDP members and executives including the founder of TİHV Coşkun Üsterci, were taken into custody during a silent sit-in protest in front of İzmir Governorship.
