AI EX096/92 TURKEY Fear of torture

[PeaceNet Middle East Team]

From: <pnmideast>
Subject: AI EX096/92 TURKEY Fear of torture

/* Written  6:22 pm  Nov  5, 1992 by rmitchellai at gn.apc.org in igc:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI EX096/92 TURKEY Fear of torture" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: EUR 44/114/92
                                    Distr: UA/SC        

EXTRA 96/92       Fear of Torture   5 November 1992

TURKEY:     Methiye Elci (female), aged 16
            Kemal Elci, aged 34, brother of Methiye
            Bahrettin Elci, aged 18, cousin of Methiye
            and scores of villagers whose names are not known to
            Amnesty International

 Amnesty International is concerned about the safety of detainees from
Altinova village, including those named above.

On the night of 2 November 1992, the security forces raided Altinova
village in the province of Mus, eastern Turkey, and detained scores of
villagers. They also came to the house of the Elci family and detained
16- year-old Methiye Elci, her brother Kemal Elci and her cousin
Bahrettin Elci, causing much destruction to the home in the process. It
is believed that the villagers are suspected of supporting the guerrillas
of the PKK (Kurdish Workers' Party). They were taken to Mus and
are held incommunicado at Mus Police Headquarters. When Amnesty
International made inquiries by telephone about their detention, the
organization was told that the father of Methiye Elci had been allowed
to see his children. However, the father is currently ill in hospital
some 2000 kilometres away from Mus. It is feared that the detainees
are being subjected to torture during interrogation.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Turkey has a Kurdish ethnic minority which is estimated to number
some 10 million people, living mainly in southeastern Turkey. Since
August 1984, when guerrillas of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK)
started armed attacks against the security forces, an alarming number
of reports of ill-treatment of detainees by the security forces have
come from the eastern and southeastern provinces. Furthermore, 
allegations of over 100 extrajudicial executions have been received
during the past 12 months. More than 4,000 lives have so far been lost
on both sides and among the civilian population in the context of the
continuing fighting. Emergency legislation is in force in 10 provinces in
the region and the Emergency Legislation Governor in Diyarbakir has
extraordinary powers over three additional provinces. 

Turkey ratified the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture
on 25 February 1988 and the UN Convention Against Torture on 2
August 1988. However, all information available to Amnesty
International indicates that torture is still widespread and systematic in
Turkey. Most allegations relate to ill-treatment of detainees in police
custody during their initial interrogation when they are usually denied
access to relatives or a lawyer. In August 1990, the government
derogated from Articles 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 13 of the European
Convention on Human Rights, all of which contain important
safeguards for human rights. Under current legislation the maximum
period a detainee may be held before being formally charged or
released is 24 hours; in cases involving three or more suspects or due
to the 'nature of the crime' it may be extended to 15 days. This period
may be extended to 30 days in areas under emergency legislation or
martial law. Emergency legislation is currently in force in 10 provinces,
including Mus province.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and
airmail letters:

- urging that Methiye Elci, Kemal Elci, Bahrettin Elci and all those
detained with them and held incommunicado at Mus Police
Headquarters are granted immediate access to their families and
lawyers;

- seeking assurances that they are not ill-treated while in police
custody;

- requesting to be informed of any charges brought against them.

APPEALS TO

Minister of the Interior:               

Mr Ismet Sezgin               [Salutation: Dear Minister]
Icisleri Bakanligi
06644 Ankara, Turkey
Telegrams: Interior Minister, Ankara, Turkey
Telexes:   46369 ICSL TR
Faxes:     + 90 4 418 1795

Chief of Police in Mus: 

Mr Arif Guven Sahin                 [Salutation: Dear Sir]
Mus Emniyet Mudurlugu
Mus, Turkey
Telegrams: Emniyet Muduru, Mus, Turkey

Governor of Mus province:

Mr Koraltay Mitas
[Salutation: Dear Governor]
Mus Valiligi
Mus, Turkey
Telegrams: Mus Valiligi, Mus, Turkey

Prime Minister:

Mr Suleyman Demirel               [Salutation: Dear Prime Minister]
Office of the Prime Minister 
Basbakanlik                         
06573 Ankara, Turkey                     
Telegrams: Prime Minister, Ankara, Turkey
Telexes:   44061/44062/44063 bbmt tr, 42099 basb tr, 42875 bbk tr
Faxes:     + 90 4 417 04 76, + 90 4 230 88 96

PLEASE SEND COPIES TO:

President of the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission:

Insan Haklari Arastirma Komisyonu Baskani
TBMM
Ankara, Turkey
     
and to the diplomatic representative in your country - please see the
responses to this topic for details.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.  Please do not send
appeals after 30 November 1992.