AI FI149/92 TURKEY Death threats

[PeaceNet Middle East Team]

From: <pnmideast>
Subject: AI FI149/92 TURKEY Death threats

/* Written  9:20 pm  Sep 14, 1992 by gn:rmitchellai in cdp:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI FI149/92 TURKEY Death threats" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution)        AI Index: EUR 44/88/92
                                           Distr: UA/SC       

                                           11 September 1992

Further information on UA 149/92 (EUR 44/44/92, 8
May 1992) and correction to EUR 44/44/92, 11 May
1992 - Death threats/Fear of Extrajudicial Execution

TURKEY:   Leyla Zana (female) [independent MP for Diyarbakir]
          Sedat Yurttas  [MP for Diyarbakir]
          Hatip Dicle [independent MP for Diyarbakir]
          Zubeyir Aydar [independent MP for Siirt]
          Dogu Perincek [Publisher]
          Yalcin Kucuk [Writer and publisher]
          Musa Anter [Writer]
          Mahmut Alinak [MP for Sirnak]
          Ahmet Turk [independent MP for Mardin]
          Sedat Edip Bucak [MP for Sanliurfa]
          Salih Sumer [MP for Diyarbakir]
          Mahmut Uyanik [MP for Diyarbakir]
          Sirri Sakik [MP for Mus]
          Muzaffer Arikan [MP for Mardin]
          Adnan Ekman [MP for Batman]
          Orhan Dogan [independent MP for Cizre]
          Selim Sadak [independent MP for Sirnak]
          Nizamettin Tonguc [independent MP for Batman]
          Abdulkerim Zilan [MP for Batman]
          Mehmet Sincar [independent MP for Mardin]
          Yavuz Binbay  [IHD president in Van]
          Cabbar Laygara, lawyer from Diyarbakir
          Sekvan Aytu [IHD President in Sirnak]
          Baris Mustakhan [correspondent for foreign newspaper]
          Hasim Hasimi [Mayor of Cizre]
          Faik Tunefan [IHD member, Istanbul]
          mer Hazar [IHD member, Istanbul]
          Dr Ata Soyer [Central Council member of the Union of
                        Turkish Doctors]

Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Yavuz Binbay,
President of the Human Rights Association in Van, eastern Turkey
who has continued to receive numerous death threats since those
included in the leaflet purportedly issued by a group calling itself
"Islami Cihad-B (Islami Yumruk)" which means "Islamic Holy War-B
(Fist of Islam)". It threatened him and 27 other people named above,
as well as journalists of certain newspapers and the guerrillas of the
Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) with death. 

During incidents on the occasion of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year
which is celebrated on 21 March, Yavuz Binbay, a Kurd and human
rights activist, was beaten almost to death by security officers in front
of the local police chief who rescued him. He was taken to hospital
unconscious and treated in the intensive care unit for injuries to his
head and chest. He suffered six fractures to his skull and a crack in
the orbit of his eye as well as a series of heart attacks following the
assault. He still requires surgery to remove blood clots formed as a
consequence of the attack. His shop was reportedly destroyed. On 3
April he was arrested on charges of unlawful assembly and
demonstration, collective criminal damage, separatist propaganda and
resisting arrest and was sent from hospital to Elazig prison in a very
poor state of health. The trial in which he stands accused as one of 94
defendants, opened on 6 July in Diyarbakir State Security Court. After
the hearing he and all imprisoned defendants were released
conditionally. The trial continues.

While Yavuz Binbay was in prison, a police car reportedly smashed
into his wife's car and attempted to force it off the road. On the
evening of 29 August, Yavuz Binbay's car, parked in front of his
house, was heavily damaged by acid and by being struck with a hard
object. 

Although none of the 28 people named above has been killed, five
journalists and local correspondents working for the group of
newspapers specifically mentioned in the leaflet have been victims of
mysterious attacks since it was issued. Four have been killed by
unidentified assailants and one survived, paralysed by a shot in the
back of his neck (see UA 258/92, EUR 44/70/92 of 6 August 1992,
and UA 262/92, EUR 44/72/92 of 11 August 1992). No serious
investigations into the killings appear to be taking place and the
Turkish Prime Minister is reported to have commented on their deaths
by saying, "Those killed were not real journalists. They were militants
in the guise of journalists. They kill each other".

Yavuz Binbay continues to receive death threats by telephone and
there is grave concern for his safety.

FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters:

- expressing grave concern for the safety of human rights activist Yavuz
Binbay in view of continuing death threats;

- noting the fact that more than 100 people have been killed in the
Kurdish provinces this year in circumstances leading to allegations of
extrajudicial execution and that no serious investigations appear to
have been carried out into these unsolved murders;

- recommending that an independent commission is established to
investigate such allegations according to the United Nations Principles
on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary
and Summary Executions;

- urging that all necessary steps are taken to prevent such further
killings.

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 PRIME MINISTER; + 90 4 230 88 96
(attn: Prime Minister)

COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

General Dogan Gures
Chief of the Turkish General Staff
Bakanliklar
06100 Ankara, Turkey

and to the diplomatic representative for Turkey in your country - see 
the responses to this topic for further details.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.