Haydar Beltan, a 31-year-old Kurd from Tunceli Province, was detained in Ankara on 3 January 1992 on arrival at the airport. He had returned for a visit from Germany, where he has lived in political exile for 12 years. Haydar Beltan has been the editor of a literary monthly, Tohum and a board member of the Turkish Teachers Association based in Cologne. He was interrogated for six days, allegedly under torture, by officers of the Anti-Terror Branch, and finally signed a confession. On 10 January he was transferred to Tunceli and formally arrested on 11 January. On 17 January he was handed over to the authorities in Erzincan where he now awaits trial on charges of membership of an illegal organization.
