Turkey: Fear of torture
Halil Can Dogan, aged 15, Esat Yilaz, Seref Han, Ayse Kilic (f), Riza Polat, Ismail Kizilcay, Tayfun Kocak, Taylan Keskin, Ebru Arkan (f), Servet Sandikli, Gokcen Kaygusuz, Hulya Deveci (f), Levent Can Yilmaz, Deniz Fidan, Ersin Atar, Mustecef Turkucu, Melek [family name not known], Bulent [family name not known], Pervin Abdaloglu (f) released, Ayhan Sagcan (f) released: AI fears for the safety of 15-year-old Halil Can Dogan, detained on 12 July 1996, and of others detained around the same time in a police operation in Ankara. Reportedly the prosecutor has authorized that he may be held in incommunicado detention until 25 July when he will be brought before a judge to be charged or released. Pervin Abdaloglu is reported to have been released on 18 July and was taken to hospital for examination. It is alleged that she was tortured.
EXTERNAL AI Index: EUR 44/110/96
EXTRA 110/96 Fear of torture 18 July 1996
TURKEYHalil Can Do_an, aged 15
Esat Y_laz
_eref Han
Ay_e K_l_ç (f)
R_za Polat
Ismail K_z_lçay
Tayfun Koçak
Taylan Keskin
Ebru Arkan (f)
Servet Sand_kl_
Gökçen Kaygusuz
Hülya Deveci (f)
Levent Can Y_lmaz
Deniz Fidan
Ersin Atar
Müstecef Türkücü
Melek [family name not known]
Bülent [family name not known]
Pervin Abdalo_lu (f), released
Ayhan Sa_can (f), released
Amnesty International fears for the safety of 15-year-old Halil Can Do_an,
detained on 12 July 1996, and of others detained around the same time in a
police operation in Ankara which ran from 8 to 16 July. Reportedly the prosecutor
at Ankara State Security Court has authorized that Halil Can Do_an may be held
in incommunicado detention at Ankara Police Headquarters until 25 July when
he will be brought before a judge to be charged or released. It is not known
whether the other detainees are to be taken to court on the same date.
One of those detained, Pervin Abdalo_lu, is reported to have been released
on 18 July and was taken to hospital for examination. It is alleged that she
was tortured, including by electric shocks.
Halil Can Do_an was detained twice during 1995, in March and April, after which
he alleged that he had been tortured and ill-treated. On the second occasion
his allegations were supported by a medical report.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
People suspected of offences under the Anti-Terror Law can be held in police
custody without access to family, friends or legal counsel for up to 30 days
in the 10 provinces under State of Emergency in the east and southeast such
as Diyarbak_r, and for 15 days in the rest of Turkey. When not being interrogated,
detainees are often held in cramped, airless and insanitary conditions. With
no access to the outside world they are at the mercy of their interrogators.
Torture is often applied to extract confessions, to elicit information about
illegal organizations, to intimidate detainees into becoming police informers
or as informal punishment for assumed support of illegal organizations.
Torture methods include being stripped naked and blindfolded, hosing with
pressurized ice-cold water, hanging by the arms or wrists bound behind the
victim's back, electric shocks, beating the soles of the feet, death threats
and sexual assault.
2
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail
letters in English or your own language:
- expressing concern for the safety of Halil Dan Do_an, aged 15, and the 17
other people detained on or around 12 July in Ankara and held incommunicado
at Ankara Police Headquarters;
- expressing concern also about the reported torture of Pervin Abdalo_lu;
- urging that the detainees are not subjected to torture or any other form
of ill-treatment;
- requesting to be informed of any charges brought against them.
APPEALS TO:
1. Prosecutor at Ankara State Security Court:
Mr Cevdet Volkan
Ankara DGM Savcili_i
Ankara, Turkey
Telegrams: DGM Savcili_i, Ankara, Turkey
Salutation: Dear Prosecutor
2. Ankara Chief of Police:
Mr Ramazan Er
Ankara Emniyet Müdürlü_ü
Konya-Samsun Karayolu
Ankara, Turkey
Telegrams: Emniyet Muduru, Ankara, Turkey
Salutation: Dear Sir
COPIES TO:
Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Mrs. Tansu Çiller
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
D__i_leri Bakanl___
06100 Ankara
Fax: +90 312 419 1547
and to diplomatic representatives of TURKEY accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 30 July 1996.