Turkey: Fear of "disappearance" / fear of extrajudicial execution / fear of torture
Sorohan Yalman, Ramazan Karasu, Sehebettin Karasu, Ramazan Ercik, Mehmet Emin Ercik, Omar Ercik, Omer Ercik, Besir Ercik, Salih Ercik, Mehmet Emin Sadak, Haci Sadak, Tahir Sadak, Mehmet Emin Sadak (not same person as above), Ihsan Sadak, Burhan Sultan, ... Sultan (f) wife of Burhan Sultan's uncle, Maruf..., Mehmet..., Hasan..., Tavfik..., Salih... plus scores of other villagers from Ozen village: AI is gravely concerned for the safety of the above, who were detained around 30 September 1996 and taken to an undisclosed location. The arrests took place when the security forces raided Ozen after a military vehicle had been blown up killing several soldiers outside the village.
EXTERNAL AI Index: EUR 44/154/96
UA 233/96 Fear of "disappearance" / Fear of
extrajudicial execution / Fear of torture 3 October 1996
TURKEYSorohan Yalman
Ramazan Karasu
Sehebettin Karasu
Ramazan Erçik
Mehmet Emin Erçik
Omar Erçik
Ömer Erçik
Besir Erçik
Salih Erçik
Mehmet Emin Sadak
Hac_ Sadak
Tahir Sadak
Mehmet Emin Sadak (not same person as above)
Ihsan Sadak
Burhan Sultan
..... Sultan (f) wife of Burhan Sultan's uncle
Maruf ....
Mehmet ....
Hasan ....
Tavfik ....
Salih ....
plus scores of other villagers from Özen village
Amnesty International is gravely concerned for the safety of the villagers
named above from Özen village (local name: Harabêtuwa) near Idil in the province
of __rnak, close to the border with Syria, who were detained around 30 September
1996 and taken to an undisclosed location, following an incident near the
village.
On 28 September 1996 a military vehicle was reportedly blown up outside Özen
village, killing several soldiers. The security forces subsequently raided
the village and detained some 60 villagers. They ordered the village to be
evacuated by the evening of 2 October, otherwise it would be razed to the ground.
It is thought that the detained villagers may have been taken to military
barracks in Idil. Under emergency legislation in force in __rnak province they
can be held for up to 30 days.
Özen village, which at one time housed some 170 families, has repeatedly been
raided and searched by the security forces during the past five years. The
village had agreed to join the village guard system (villagers armed and paid
by the government to fight the PKK), but reportedly had handed back their weapons
some time ago for fear of reprisals from the PKK.
Fears for the villagers' safety are heightened by previous incidents where
detained villagers have "disappeared" without a trace or where the bodies of
some were found later, in some instances mutilated and bearing marks of torture
as in the case of Süleyman Seyhan (see update to EXTRA 142/95, 2 April 1996,
EUR 44/51/96). The six young people detained with Süleyman Seyhan have never
been found. Another case is that of the villagers of Alaca village near Kulp
in the province of Diyarbak_r (see background to UA 169/96, EUR 44/103/96,
4 July 1996).
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RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail
letters in English or your own language:
- expressing concern for the fate of some 60 villagers from Özen village near
Cizre/__rnak province who are being held at an unknown location since around
30 September 1996;
- urging that their whereabouts be established without delay, their detention
duly registered and their relatives promptly informed;
- appealing that they not be subjected to torture or any other form of
ill-treatment;
- asking to be informed of the outcome of the investigation and any charges
brought against the villagers.
APPEALS TO:
1. Chief State Prosecutor in Cizre:
Cumhuriyet Ba_savc_s_
Hükümet Kona__
Cizre, Turkey
Telegrams: Cumhuriyet Bassavcisi, Cizre, Turkey
Salutation: Dear Prosecutor
2. Idil Local Governor:
Idil Kaymakam_
Idil Kaymakaml_k
Idil near Cizre, Turkey
Telegrams: Idil Kaymakami, Cizre, Turkey
Salutation: Dear Governor
3. Emergency Legislation Governor:
Mr Necati Bilican
Ola_anüstü Hal Valisi
Diyarbak_r, Turkey
Telegrams: Olaganustu Hal Valisi, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Telex: 72110 OHVT TR
72084 DYVA TR "please forward to the Governor"
72090 JASY TR
Faxes: +90 412 224 3572
Salutation: Dear Governor
4. State Minister with responsibility for Human Rights:
Mr Lütfü Esengül
Office of the Prime Minister
Ba_bakanl_k
06573 Ankara, Turkey
Telegrams: Prime Minister, Ankara, Turkey
Telexes: 44061/44062/44063 bbmt tr; 42099 basb tr
Faxes: +90 312 417 0476
Salutation: Dear Minister
COPIES TO:
President of Parliamentary Human Rights Commission:
Mr Demir Berbero_lu
_nsan Haklar_ Inceleme Komisyonu Ba_kan_
TBMM
Ankara, Turkey
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Fax: +90 312 420 5394
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 15 November 1996.