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Turkey: 34 Torture Investigations in
Diyarbakir
6.6.2006
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Lawyer Analay says "Diyarbakir
incidents show officials are not sincere in
zero-tolerance policy for torture". Calls for 34
investigations launched into police torture
allegations to be followed up and not be
inconclusive like others.
Diyarbakir, Kurdistan-Turkey, (BIA) - A total
of 34 preparatory investigations have been launched
against police officers in Diyarbakir related to
allegations of torture and mistreatment of children
and adults during and after the March 28-April 1
disturbances in the city this year.
Diyarbakir Bar Association Children Rights Center
lawyer Cengiz Analay welcomed the investigations and
told Bianet that "even if with a delay it appears
for now that what should be done against torture and
mistreatment, is being done. But the 24 torture
files that have been opened should not end up
inconclusive like the others".
Analay said that as the city Bar Association they
are following this issue closely and are waiting for
the result of the 34 investigations with interest.
He said they insisted that torturers not be left
unpunished.
"No reason can justify torture" Analay said,
stressing that torture is banned by the Turkish
constitution as well as international conventions to
which Turkey is a part of, and is a crime against
humanity.
"We see it as unacceptable that the crime of torture
which is regarded as a crime against all human
beings, has been widely committed during the March
28 incidents" he said.
Zero-Tolerance not sincere
Analay said that although officials previously
promised zero tolerance against torture and there
was a decrease in torture incidents with the
European Union accession period, "it has come out in
the open with the incidents on March 28 in
Diyarbakir that this was a temporary situation and
that the promises made by officials on all platforms
were not sincere".
"Many people were detained and arrested in the
incidents that on March 28 started off from the
province of Diyarbakir and spread to nearby
provinces and districts. In interviews we conducted
with those detained, they told us that they were
subjected to many inhuman treatments and that they
were tortured in detention centers. Doctor reports,
their statements to the prosecutors and photographs
taken by ourselves confirms this," Analay explained.
Law change not enough
Analay added that amendments in the law would not be
enough to change the position on torture and said
that in order to prevent torture, preventative
measures should be effectively taken but where
torture was recorded, the culprits should be
punished in the most severe way.
The Diyarbakir Bar Association had applied to the
provincial Governor's Office and requested
investigations to be launched in 72 separate
instances of torture under custody claims.
During the incidents in Diyarbakir between March 28
and April 1, 2006, a total of 10 people including
five children were killed as result of
disproportional force used by the police and
hundreds of others were wounded. 213 children and
364 adults were placed under custody where they were
subjected to mistreatment and torture.
Bianet.org
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey) wikipedia
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