AI EX097/92 TURKEY Fear of torture

[PeaceNet Middle East Team]

From: <pnmideast>
Subject: AI EX097/92 TURKEY Fear of torture

/* Written  5:59 pm  Nov  6, 1992 by rmitchellai at gn.apc.org in igc:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI EX097/92 TURKEY Fear of torture" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: EUR 44/117/92
                                    Distr: UA/SC        

EXTRA 97/92    Fear of Torture/     6 November 1992
                   Death in custody

TURKEY:     Sukru Yilmaz ) brothers
            Habip Yilmaz ) 
            Irfan Solak ] brothers
            Salih Solak ]
            Bahri Gitmez
            Serhat Baytar
            M Sirin Dogan
            Resul Balta
            Ebubekir Gunes

            and the three brothers:

            Nuri Adlik 
            Tahsin Adlik 
            Haci Adlik

            and Ramazan Altunsoz (died on or about 30 October 92)

 Amnesty International is concerned about those named above who
were taken into custody, mostly from their homes, on various dates
since 16 October 1992 and are now held at Batman Police
Headquarters. Neither relatives nor lawyers have been permitted access
to the detainees, and the public prosecutor has reportedly given no
indication as to how long they will be held.

Those most recently detained were Nuri, Tahsin, and Haci Adlik who
were taken into custody on 5 November 1992, as was Habip Yilmaz,
who went to the police station to inquire about the welfare of his
brother Sukru Yilmaz. 

Sukru Yilmaz had alleged previously that he was tortured in Batman
Gendarmerie in March 1992. According to his account, he was
blindfolded and hoisted into the air by his arms which were tied to an
iron pipe. Electric shocks were given through his toes, penis and anus.
A bottle or truncheon was inserted into his anus, while another
interrogator squeezed his testicles. He also claimed that he was
subjected to falaka (beating on the soles of the feet). Sukru Yilmaz
made a formal complaint about his torture, which was supported with
medical reports. Like all such complaints in the provinces under
emergency legislation, it must first be approved by the local governor's
office (responsible for police matters) before legal proceedings can
begin. The complaint is still at the governor's office, no action having
been taken in the intervening seven months.

Among those taken into custody at the beginning of this wave of
detentions was Ramazan Altunsoz, who was taken from his home and
interrogated at Batman Police Headquarters on 21 October 1992. After
a week in incommunicado detention, he was taken to hospital and
treated for gastritis, before being returned to the Police Headquarters
for further interrogation. Three days later, on 31 October, his body
was returned to his family and the local governor announced that he
had died of "diseases of the stomach and kidney". The official medical
cause of death was given as "haemorrhage of the lungs and acute
gastritis" but his family photographed bruises and other marks on his
chest, shoulder, armpits, arms and knee after his death. Ramazan
Altunsoz was the third person to die following interrogation at Batman
Police Headquarters this year. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Speaking in Batman on 4 November 1992, in connection with the
cross-border operation in Northern Iraq against bases of the Kurdish
Workers' Party (PKK) which the Turkish armed forces have been
conducting since 16 October, the Emergency Region Governor Unal
Erkan told press representatives that a crack-down on rebels inside
Turkey was to be expected after the operation ended. "After the
operation, the time will come for inside Turkey."

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 Batman
province.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and
airmail letters in English or your own language:

- urging that those detainees named above who are being held in
incommunicado detention at Batman Police Headquarters be permitted
access to their families and to legal counsel, and are not subjected to
any form of torture or ill-treatment;

- urging that a thorough and impartial investigation be initiated into
the death in custody of Ramazan Altunsoz, and that those responsible
be brought promptly to justice.

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

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.