From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: AI: TURKEY Fear of torture
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 01:10:32 GMT

/** mideast.action: 23.1 **/
** Written 10:09 pm  Dec 16, 1992 by pnmideast in cdp:mideast.action **
From: <pnmideast>
Subject: AI EX097/92 TURKEY Fear of torture

/* Written  7:00 pm  Dec  8, 1992 by rmitchellai@gn.apc.org in igc:ai.uan */
/* ---------- "AI EX097/92 TURKEY Fear of torture" ---------- */
EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: EUR 44/128/92
                                    Distr: UA/SC        

                                    8 December 1992        

Further information on EXTRA 97/92 (EUR 44/117/92, 6 November
1992)  - Fear of Torture/Death in Custody

TURKEY:     Sukru Yilmaz ) brothers
            Habib 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)

and new     Serif Argun 
names:      Tahsin Adibelli
            Yahsin Adibelli   

The major police operation in and around Batman which began on 16
October 1992 is still continuing and new detentions are constantly
being made. Some 30 to 40 people are believed still to be in police
custody, including the brothers Irfan and Salih Solak, who have been
held far beyond the legally permitted limit of 30 days. Serif Argun,
Tahsin Adibelli and Yahsin Adibelli have been newly detained in
recent days. It is feared that they are being interrogated under torture.

  Sukru Yilmaz was released on or around 20 November. It is not
known whether a court case will be opened against him. According to
reports received he was tortured during the first four to five days of
detention with electric shocks and hanging by his wrists, and was
interrogated about alleged links with guerrillas of the Kurdish Workers'
Party (PKK). Subsequently he was allowed to see members of his
family, but his brother Habib who came to visit him on the fifth day
of his detention was detained as well. Habib Yilmaz was not released
until 4 December. (For an account of Sukru Yilmaz' torture in March
1992 when yet another fellow detainee died in custody, see: EXTRA
26/92, EUR 44/28/92 of 13 March 1992 and follow-up EUR 44/32/92
of 24 March 1992)

  The brothers Tahsin and Haci Adlik were released on or around 7
November. M. Sirin Dogan was released on 30 November.

  Some of those detained have now been formally arrested.  These
include M. Nuri Adlik and others who were not named in the original
action - Mehmet Kaya, Ahmet Aydin, Osman Aslan, Ebeddin Soyut
and Fahrettin Inal. They were charged with aiding and sheltering
guerrillas of the PKK on 4 December. Some of them had been found
in the possession of firearms and were also charged with unlawful
possession of a weapon. 

  All of the detainees, except Habib Yilmaz, are said to have
reported that they were tortured while in police custody with falaka
(beating the soles of the feet) and hanging by the wrists. Fahrettin Inal
had been taken to a deserted place and then threatened that he would
be killed. None was issued with a medical certificate when examined
by a doctor at the end of the detention period as is routine procedure.

  The state prosecutor stated that he was investigating the death in
custody of Ramazan Altunsoz, the third in Batman this year. Thirteen
detainees altogether have died in police custody in Turkey this year.

FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and airmail letters in English or your
own language:

- noting that detainees allege having been tortured at Batman Police
Headquarters where three detainees have died already this year;

- expressing concern about the safety of those detainees still held in
incommunicado detention at Batman Police Headquarters, in particular
the brothers Irfan and Salih Solak who have been held for more than
30 days, in violation of legal detention procedures;

- urging that all those still held in police custody in Batman be
permitted access to their families and to legal counsel, and that they
are not subjected to any form of torture or ill-treatment,

- repeating your call for a thorough and impartial investigation into the
death in custody of Ramazan Altunsoz who died in Batman Police
Headquarters at the end of October 1992, and that those responsible
be brought promptly to justice.

APPEALS TO:

Batman Public Prosecutor:

Mr Mustafa Yucel                [Salutation: Dear Sir]
Batman Savciligi
Batman, Turkey
Telegrams: Cumhuriyet Savcisi, Batman, Turkey

Minister of Justice:

Mr Seyfi Oktay                   [Salutation: Dear Minister]
Adalet Bakanligi
06659 Ankara, Turkey
Telegrams: Justice Minister, Ankara, Turkey
Faxes:     + 90 4 425 40 66   

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

COPIES TO: 

President of the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission:

Mr Sabri Yavuz 
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 4 January 1993.
** End of text from cdp:mideast.action **

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