E/CN.A/1990/17
page 47
149. On 13 February 1989 the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the
Government of Turkey concerning information alleging that four men, named as
Izzet Kuvanlikli, Tahsin Ozer, Karim Yildirim and Yasar Celik, were detained
in Istanbul on 30 January 1989 and had since then been held incommunicado in
police detention. The reason for their arrest was not reported. It was also
alleged that three other persons, Mehmet Ozkan, his wife Songul Ozkan and his
brother Bekta6 Ozkan had been detained in Istanbul, together with two other
persons, on 5 February 1989. Reportedly two were released on 8 February and
the three named above continued to be held at Istanbul police headquarters
without access to relatives or lawyers. Songul Ozkan was allegedly Been at
the police headquarters unable to speak or move her arms. It was further
reported that a fourth person, named as Ali Durmaz, had also been detained in
connection with that case.
150. On 5 April 1989 the Government informed the Special Rapporteur that
Messrs. Mehmet Ozkan, Bektas Ozkan and Ali Durmaz and Mrs. Songul Ozkan had
been taken into custody on charges of affiliation to and participation in
illegal activities of an outlawed organization. Following the investigation
made by competent authorities, Messrs. Bektas Ozkan and Ali Durmaz had been
released on 16 February 1989 by the public prosecutor for reasons of
insufficient evidence to prove their participation in the activities of the
said organization. Mr. Mehmet Ozkan and Mrs. Songul Ozkan had been arrested
on the 6ame date by decision of the competent court. The relevant authorities
had thoroughly examined and found baseless the allegations of torture
concerning the above-mentioned persons. The medical reports confirmed that
none of these persons had been subjected to any kind of ill-treatment.
Messrs. Izzet Kovankli, Tahsin Ozer, Kazim Yildirim and Yasar Celik had been
apprehended on charges of affiliation to and participation in illegal
activities of the outlawed "United Communist Party of Turkey". Following the
investigation made by the competent authorities, Messrs. Izzet Kovankli and
Yasar Celik had been released. Messrs. Tahsin Ozer and Kazim Yildirim had
been arrested by the court decision and a public lawsuit had been initiated
against them on 14 February 1989. On 30 June 1989 the Government informed the
Special Rapporteur that Kazim Yildirim and Tahsin Ozer had been released on
5 April 1989, pending trial. Allegations of torture concerning these persons
had been thoroughly examined and found baseless by the competent authorities.
The medical reports established that these persons had not been subjected to
any kind of ill-treatment.
151. On 9 March 1989 the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the
Government of Turkey concerning the case of Kemal Isiktas and Ali Meric, who
were detained on 22 February 1989 by police outside Ankara State Security
Court and taken to Ankara police headquarters. Kemal Isiktas was reported to
be suffering from chronic kidney and liver diseases. It was also alleged that
eight persons - five men named as Hasan Hacioglu, Mehmet Nuri Ozmen, Timsal
Sackan, Bercan Batur and Ihsan Pekel, and three women, named as Gurdal Aksoy,
Nadire Gultas and Nuray Ariduru - were arrested on 23 February 1989,
immediately after being acquitted by the Ankara State Security Court of
charges of belonging to the illegal Kurdistan Workers' Party. They were
allegedly beaten in the vehicle which took them back to Ankara closed prison.
It was reported that they had been held incommunicado since 23 February 1989
and were being interrogated at Ankara police headquarters. It was further
alleged that five prisoners in Ward 4 in Ankara closed prison, named as Cuneyt
Kafkas» Abdullah Demir, Huseyin Poyraz, Hasan Huseyin Kaner and Mehmet Bayrak,
were seriously injured on 1 March 1989 when special units of the military
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