On 15 January 1993 Esref Yasa, the owner of a kiosk in the Ofis district of Diyarbakir, was shot in the street by unknown assailants. A taxi driver who took him to hospital was reportedly beaten and threatened by plainclothes police. In 1992 he received threats from police demanding that he stop selling left-wing newspapers and publications. On 15 November 1992 his kiosk was burned down and he was then detained and threatened again by police. His uncle, Hasim Yasa, took over the kiosk and in March 1993 it was raided by police. On 14 June 1993 Hasim Yasa was killed by unknown persons in the street. During preparations for his uncle’s funeral, Esref Yasa was detained and allegedly beaten at the local police station. No investigation has been carried out into the attack on him.
