Undeclared coup in Southeast Say Activists

Rights activists were subjected to pressure and degrading treatment, all of those placed under custody were either tortured or subjected to inhuman treatment says Diyarbakir branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD)in its report on the violent incidents, which swept southeast in the 28 March-3 April week.

IHD Deputy Chairman Reyhan Yalcindag told Bianet that almost all applicants related to torture had medical reports showing they were subjected to torture and mistreatment, and that a criminal complaint had been made together with rights advocates on the oppression.

"There are too many arrest particularly in the townships. It is almost as if no one's left. There is an undeclared coup situation here," Yalcindag noted.

According to applications made to the IHD and the Diyarbakir Bar Association, 563 people have been detained in Diyarbakir and 200 of these are children. 382 people of which 91 are children have been arrested. On an appeal made against the arrests, 34 children aged under 15 were released.

"Torture and mistreatment not only in detention"

The IHD report states that "all of those detained have been subjected to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment."

The Association noted that according to the accounts of those who were injured, the treatment was not limited only to those under detention but also to "people walking on the streets, as well as those present during raids conducted on houses who were subjected to physical blows and torture."

A witness statement from a 14 year old child placed under custody is as follows:

"When I was being detained, approximately 15 policemen attacked me with their truncheons; my right arm was broken and in that condition they dragged me for about 100 metres on the ground. Later on, they took me to the sports hall at the Security Directorate. Over there, through force and torture, I signed many documents whose contents I do not know. The night I was placed under custody, they took me to the State Hospital at about 21:30 because my arm was broken. Time over time I was beaten with truncheons; they denied us access to the toilets; they continuously subjected us to degrading treatment such as "get up - sit down". At 03:00 in the morning they were saying go to sleep and at 05:00 they were making me wake up and beating me with truncheons. They were pulling my hair too. Even though H.K. who was detained with me had a broken arm, he was subjected to electricity torture at the Baglar Police Station. While being taken to the Juctice Hall and the hospital, before getting in the vehicle, they were beating my feet with the truncheons. Every 12 hours they were giving half a loaf of bread and water. They were constantly swearing and insulting, and they were constantly making me listen to the national anthem. They also hit me in the stomach when taking me to the Justice Hall. I informed the Prosecutor of all of this treatment."

Report includes witness statement of lawyer from the Diyarbakir Bar Association:

"All of the children had been beaten and sworn at. In their complaints they stated that although there were cushions where they were held, they were made to lie down on concrete floor and that they were given two meals a day. Some stated that at the Carsi Police Station they were made to strip off their clothing, had cold water poured over their bodies and were beaten. Furthermore, just when I was leaving, gun shots and explosions could be heard. There were approximately 200-220 official and plainclothes policemen at the compound entrance and its courtyard. Suddenly they all started to move and I heard this crowd of people in the garden start shouting "...kill all of them! Don't come back without killing them!"

Rights activists face pressure

The report contains information that the attorneys sent to detention centres as compulsory defense lawyers were subjected to physical and verbal violence.

The Association says that in Kiziltepe, Mardin, IHD Mardin Branch Chairman and Attorney Huseyin Cangir and Branch Secretary Attorney Erdal Kuzu, together with other attorneys and IHD administrators, were subjected to physical and psychological violence by the First Lieutenant Military Doctor on duty at the Kiziltepe Infantry Regiment Command on 2 April 2006.

The report also establishes that rights advocated in Batman were subjected to violence and pressures:

"Although being an observer of the incidents, IHD Batman Branch Secretary Abdullah Baytar was violently hit by the police.

Again, even though IHD Batman branch member Mursel Kayar and Supervisory Board member Resit Yaray stated they were on the scene as observers, they were beaten and detained, then arrested and placed in prison."

The report also attracts attention to the arrest of political party and union members in the days following the incidents:

"As of mid-day of 4 April, Democratic Society Party Provincial Administrators Musa Farisogullari, Necdet Atalay, Nusret Atliu and Muhlis Altun as well as Diyarbakir Democracy Platform Term Speaker and Tes-Is Number 1 Branch Chairman Aliu Oncu and Tum-Bel Union Diyarbakir Branch Chairman Edip Yasar were placed under custody and taken to the Counter-Terrorism Branch. On 5 April, following a 12 hour interrogation at the Prosecution and Examining Judge stage, they were arrested at around 22:00 and transferred to the Diyarbakir D Type Prison. (TK/II/YE)