Turkey: Human Right Violations in April 1998

[ozgurluk at xs4all.nl]

IHD announces rights violations for April

  * Violations increased during that month
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Ankara - Turkish Daily News

The monthly report by the Human Rights Association (IHD) regarding the
violations of rights has been published. According to the IHD data,
225 people died during the armed conflict in the Emergency Rule Region
(OHAL), and 12 people have been the victims of unsolved murders. In
the report, which said that nine people have died due to
extra-judicial means and torture, it has been claimed that 70 people
faced torture.

Osman Baydemir, deputy general manager of the IHD, said that the April
issue of the human rights report was published following a 10-day
delay because of the assassination attempt on Akin Birdal, head of the
IHD. Baydemir evaluated the arrest of two people who allegedly
attempted to kill Birdal as a positive development. Pointing out that
the power behind the attack should be exposed, Baydemir said, "Similar
attacks will follow this one, since the Susurluk scandal has not been
cleared up and the illegal organizations that have been established
within the state have not been clarified."

Baydemir, who read the IHD's April report regarding the violations of
rights, indicated that violations in April have increased when
compared to March's data. The summary of the human rights violations
in April is as follows:

Violations regarding the right to live

-- Unsolved murders 12
-- Deaths in extra-judicial murders, torture or custody 9
-- Deaths due to armed conflicts (soldiers, militants, village guards)
	225
-- Activities against civilians - deaths 2 - injuries 28
-- Claimed missing persons 4
-- Actual or alleged torture 70
-- Taken into custody 5,579
-- Number of arrests 117
-- Attacked, or faced oppression or threat 47
-- Evacuated or burnt-down villages 0
-- Attacks on prisoners in prisons 8

Violations regarding work life

One thousand three hundred ninety-eight people have been dismissed
from their jobs. This includes workers dismissed illegally.

Violations regarding freedom of thought and organizing

-- Places that were bombed and burned 12
-- Mass organizations, political institutions and publishers that were
	closed 8
-- Mass organizations, political institutions and publishers that were
	attacked 34
-- Published materials that were seized or banned 22
-- Punishment of imprisonment or fine considered 230
-- Punishment of imprisonment or fine given 9
-- Number of prisoners of conscience 133
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-- 
Press Agency Ozgurluk
For justice, democracy and human rights in Turkey and Kurdistan!
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