Sabahat Varol, a journalist with the magazine “Devrimci Genclik” and Ahmet Duzgun Yuksel, a lawyer, are being held in Istanbul Police headquarters, where Amnesty International (AI) fears they may be facing torture in incommunicado detention. The two were detained on 20 June 1995 as they were leaving the Halkin Hukuk Burosu, People’s Law Office, in […]
Sabahat Varol, a journalist with the magazine “Devrimci Genclik”
and Ahmet Duzgun Yuksel, a lawyer, are being held in Istanbul
Police headquarters, where Amnesty International (AI) fears they
may be facing torture in incommunicado detention.
The two were detained on 20 June 1995 as they were leaving the
Halkin Hukuk Burosu, People’s Law Office, in Istanbul, where
Ahmet Duzgun Yuksel works as a lawyer. The Halkin Hukuk Burosu
has acted as defence council in many prosecutions involving
charges of membership of the illegal armed organization DHKP-C
(Front of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party).
The detentions follow disturbances in the Okmeydani district of
Istanbul during the past two weeks. On 9 June, DHKP-C carried out
an armed attack on police officers. Shortly afterwards, police
raided a house in Okmeydani and shot dead Sibel Yalcin whom they
claim was involved in the attack. On 16 June Hasan Levent, a
shopkeeper, was killed by the DHKP-C on the pretext that he had
informed against Sibel Yalcin. Ahmet Duzgun Yuksel was
representing Sibel Yalcin’s family in arranging for the
authorities to hand over the body.
Meanwhile, demonstrations by various and opposing groups
continued in Okmeydani after Sibel Yalcin was buried on 16 June.
Reports indicate that on 20 June Ahmet Duzgun Yuksel was
monitoring events in Okmeydani, when a police officer pointed him
out to his colleagues and said that he should be interrogated.
The lawyer was detained later that day. On 21 June the
authorities, responding to an inquiry by the president of
Istanbul Bar Association, confirmed the detention of Ahmet Duzgun
Yuksel and Sabahat Varol.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The illegal armed organization DHKP-C (Front of the Revolutionary
People’s Liberation Party, formerly known as Devrimci Sol
(Revolutionary Left) has accepted responsibility for dozens of
political killings, including those of high ranking military and
security personnel. Amnesty International unreservedly condemns
such deliberate and arbitrary killings by opposition groups.
Since May 1991, more than 50 suspected members of the
organization have been killed by the police in raids on “safe
houses”, the majority in Istanbul and Ankara. Any person
suspected of links with the organization and taken into detention
is at grave risk of being tortured during interrogation.
Torture remains widespread in Turkey. Most is alleged to occur in
police custody during the initial interrogation when detainees
are usually denied access to relatives or a lawyer. Detainees
held on suspicion of political offenses may be held without
charge for up to 15 days. In the 10 provinces under emergency
legislation in the southeast of Turkey the maximum detention
period for political detainees may be doubled to 30 days.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to Turkish authorities:
Duzgun Yuksel, who are being held at Istanbul Police Headquarters
legal counsel, and that they be brought promptly before a judge
or any other form of ill-treatment
APPEALS TO
Mr Necdet Menzir
Istanbul Chief of Police
Istanbul Emniyet Muduru
Istanbul, Turkey
Fax: +90 212 635 1830
Mr Mehmet Mogultay
Minister of Justice
Adalet Bakanligi
06659 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 3954
Mr Nahit Mentese
Minister of the Interior
Icisleri Bakanligi
06644 Ankara, Turkey
Faxes: +90 312 418 1066 or +90 312 418 1795
COPIES, IF POSSIBLE, TO:
State Minister with responsibility for Human Rights
Mr Algan Hacaloglu
Office of the Prime Minister
Basbakanlik
06573 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Please do not send appeals after
25 July 1995.
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
Appeals To
