E/CN.4/2000/9/Add.5 page 17 Government added that Abdelmoumen Belanes had once again been arrested in February 1999 for taking part in a joint scheme intended to cause injury to persons and damage property by intimidation and terror and that he was at present in pre-trail detention on the basis of a warrant. 78. Concerning Imène Dérouiche (ibid., para. 1026), the Government stated that she had been sentenced in March 1998 to 15 months’ imprisonment for supporting an illegal extremist association, distributing tracts likely to cause a breach of the peace and defamation of judicial bodies; she had been released on 22 August 1999 after having served her sentence in the Manouba civil prison without having been ill-treated. 79. Concerning Lofti Hammami (ibid., para. 1027), the Government indicated that he had been sentenced in February 1998 to 17 months’ imprisonment for supporting an illegal extremist association, the distribution of tracts likely to cause a breach of the peace and defamation of judicial bodies; he had been released on 9 August 1999 after serving his sentence and had not been ill-treated. 80. Concerning Néjib Hosni (ibid., para. 1028), the Government confirmed that he had been sentenced, that he had been released on parole on 14 December 1996, and that at no time had he been ill-treated. According to the Government, the national bar president had publicly expressed his satisfaction at the way the trial had unfolded, and no request for an investigation had therefore been made. Turkey 81. By letter dated 9 February 2000, the Government responded to cases sent by the Special Rapporteur in November 1999. 82. Concerning 50 persons from Tilkiler and four other villages in the Kahramanmaras province (see E/CN.4/2000/9, para. 1041), the Government stated that 53 persons had been taken into custody between 10 and 20 June 1999 on grounds of providing shelter and assistance to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Of the 53 persons, 34 were arrested and 19 subsequently released. The Government stated that medical reports issued from the beginning of their custody until their appearance before the court revealed that none of the persons detained had been subjected to torture or any other inhuman treatment. 83. Concerning Vasfi Karakoç (ibid., para. 1042), the Government stated that he had been detained by the Directorate of Security of Izmir on several occasions. On 6 April 1998, he had lodged a complaint with the Directorate-General of Security of Izmir against a police officer for ill-treatment during his detention, which was subsequently annulled due to lack of sufficient evidence. He was again detained on 31 August 1998, but was released soon after. According to the Government, Vasfi Karakoç had made a statement after his suicide attempt on 2 September 1998 to the effect that he was not complaining about anyone, and his son had made a declaration to the same effect after his father’s death. The Government stressed that Vasfi Karakoç had not lodged any complaints following his detention on 31 August 1998. 84. Concerning Deniz Özcan (ibid., para. 1043), the Government indicated that he had been among 32 people taken into custody on 29 February 1996 for participation in illegal