From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 11 Nov 92 20:11 PST
Subject: AI EX098/92 TURKEY Fear of torture
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700788:000:4154
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Nov 11 20:11:00 1992


/* Written  5:33 pm  Nov 10, 1992 by gn:rmitchellai in igc:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI EX098/92 TURKEY Fear of torture" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: EUR 44/119/92
                                    Distr: UA/SC        

EXTRA 98/92       Fear of Torture    10 November 1992

TURKEY:     Five students:
            Ahmet Erkan
            Zeki Gurbuz
            Mustafa Pekoz
            Ufuk Tan
            Hasan Polat

            From Camlica district:
            Celal Meral 
            Yildiz Meral (female), wife of Celal 
            Ziya Ulusoy 
            Duriye Sezgin (female) 
            Mehmet Ustundag 
            Meryem Temur (female)

            From Bahcelievler district: 
            Ali Bolat 
            Huseyin Kilic 
            Tulay Mercan (female) 
            Guler Mercan (female), sister of Tulay 
            Imam Huseyin Demir 
    
            Ibrahim Isik 
            Naci Uzun, reporter for Emegin Bayragi (Flag of Labour) 
            Hulya Uzun (female), wife of Naci Uzun 

Amnesty International is concerned about the safety of the people
named above, who are being held in incommunicado detention in
Istanbul.

On 4 November 1992, the five students Ahmet Erkan, Zeki Gurbuz,
Mustafa Pekz, Ufuk Tan and Hasan Polat were detained in Istanbul
after a house search by the police. They are suspected of involvement
with an illegal political organization. Two days later, scores of people
including the 14 named above, were detained after police operations in
various quarters of Istanbul. The detainees are held incommunicado
and reportedly in unacknowledged police custody, presumably at the
Anti-Terror Branch of Istanbul Police Headquarters. It is feared that
they are being interrogated under torture.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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
in the southeast of Turkey.

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

- expressing concern that the people named above are being held in    
  incommunicado detention;

- noting that reportedly the police deny holding them; 

- urging that their families and lawyers are granted access to them;

- seeking assurances that they are not subjected to any form of ill-    
treatment or torture while in 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

Istanbul Chief of Police:

Mr Necdet Menzir              [Salutation: Dear Sir]
Istanbul Emniyet Muduru
Istanbul, Turkey
Telegrams: Emniyet Muduru, Istanbul, Turkey
Telexes:   30811 IEHM TR, 30812 EMMH TR, 26177 IEMT TR

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 20 November 1992.