Türkiye
15.02.01
Urgent Interventions
Turkey: disappearance of 2 HADEP members
Case TUR 150201
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Turkey.
Description of the situation :
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed that Serdar TANIS, chairman of HADEP (People’s Democracy Party) in Silopi and Ebubekir DENIZ, member of the HADEP have disappeared, reported missing since 25th January 2001 when they went to the Gendarme Commandership in Silopi, summoned by a phone call.
Relatives and friends of S. Tanis and E. Deniz made phone calls to the Public Prosecutor Office and Gendarme Commandership in Silopi when they were not able to reach them on their cell phones one hour after their disappearance.
A lawyer, Idris Tanis, applied to the Public Prosecutor office in Silopi on 26th January 2001, indicating the incident and requested the authorities to take testimonies of three eyewitnesses who had seen that S. Tanis and E. Deniz on their way to the Gendarme Commandership. The Governor’s office in Sirnak was also contacted on 26th January and requested to investigate the whereabouts of these two persons.
On 26th January 200, the HRA Diyarbakir branch office of the Human Rights Association, sent written applications to the Human Rights Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, State Minister Responsible for Human Rights, Interior Ministry, Governor’s Office of the Emergency Region , Governor’s Office in Sirnak and the Sub-Governor’s office in Silopi. Phone calls were also made to the deputy governor of the Emergency Region, deputy governor of the Sirnak province and chief public prosecutor in Sirnak expressing grave concern over the case and requesting the authorities to take action.
A delegation from the HRA Diyarbakir branch office met with Mr Kubilay Tastan, public prosecutor responsible for investigation of the case and senior public prosecutor, Mr Hakan Basverdi, at the Public prosecutor office in Silopi, on 29th January 2001. The prosecutor informed the delegation that they had contacted the Gendarme Commandership in Silopi and were told that these person had not been detained.
The delegation was informed by the public prosecutor in Sirnak that the investigation was being conducted by the public prosecutor’s office in Silopi and that the competent authority for investigation is the prosecutor’s office in Silopi. Furthermore, that all allegations concerning the disappearance of S. Tanis and E. Deniz were limited to the families’ allegations. Finally that because he had been told that these persons had not been detained, he could do nothing.
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of S. Tanis and E. Deniz, particularly as it seems that cases of “disappearance under detention” have started to be practised again in the region. Also, it is reported that S. Tanis and E. Deniz had faced intensive pressure and intimidation due to their political actions and that during and after their activities to form HADEP in Silopi, these repressive practices continued in an attempt to force them to resign from their positions.
Actions requested :
i. immediately locate Mr Tanis and Mr Deniz and ensure their physical and psychological integrity;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid charges;
iii. order an immediate investigation into their disappearance, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. conform with the European convention for the protection of human rights and the Universal Declaration on Human rights as well as other international instruments relative to human rights ratified by Turkey.
Addresses :
Minister of Interior, Mr Saadettin Tantan, Içisleri Bakanligi, 06644 Ankara, Turkey, Faxes: + 90 312 418 17 95.
Minister of Justice, Prof Hikmet Sami Türk, Ministry of Justice, Adalet Bakanligi, 06659 Ankara, Turkey, Faxes: + 90 312 417 3954 / 418 5667
State Minister with responsibility for Human Rights, Mr Rüstü Kazim Yücelen, Office of the Prime Minister, Basbakanlik, 06573 Ankara, Turkey, Faxes: + 90 312 417 0476
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the code of the appeal.
Geneva, 15th February 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Turkey.
Description of the situation :
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed that Serdar TANIS, chairman of HADEP (People’s Democracy Party) in Silopi and Ebubekir DENIZ, member of the HADEP have disappeared, reported missing since 25th January 2001 when they went to the Gendarme Commandership in Silopi, summoned by a phone call.
Relatives and friends of S. Tanis and E. Deniz made phone calls to the Public Prosecutor Office and Gendarme Commandership in Silopi when they were not able to reach them on their cell phones one hour after their disappearance.
A lawyer, Idris Tanis, applied to the Public Prosecutor office in Silopi on 26th January 2001, indicating the incident and requested the authorities to take testimonies of three eyewitnesses who had seen that S. Tanis and E. Deniz on their way to the Gendarme Commandership. The Governor’s office in Sirnak was also contacted on 26th January and requested to investigate the whereabouts of these two persons.
On 26th January 200, the HRA Diyarbakir branch office of the Human Rights Association, sent written applications to the Human Rights Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, State Minister Responsible for Human Rights, Interior Ministry, Governor’s Office of the Emergency Region , Governor’s Office in Sirnak and the Sub-Governor’s office in Silopi. Phone calls were also made to the deputy governor of the Emergency Region, deputy governor of the Sirnak province and chief public prosecutor in Sirnak expressing grave concern over the case and requesting the authorities to take action.
A delegation from the HRA Diyarbakir branch office met with Mr Kubilay Tastan, public prosecutor responsible for investigation of the case and senior public prosecutor, Mr Hakan Basverdi, at the Public prosecutor office in Silopi, on 29th January 2001. The prosecutor informed the delegation that they had contacted the Gendarme Commandership in Silopi and were told that these person had not been detained.
The delegation was informed by the public prosecutor in Sirnak that the investigation was being conducted by the public prosecutor’s office in Silopi and that the competent authority for investigation is the prosecutor’s office in Silopi. Furthermore, that all allegations concerning the disappearance of S. Tanis and E. Deniz were limited to the families’ allegations. Finally that because he had been told that these persons had not been detained, he could do nothing.
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of S. Tanis and E. Deniz, particularly as it seems that cases of “disappearance under detention” have started to be practised again in the region. Also, it is reported that S. Tanis and E. Deniz had faced intensive pressure and intimidation due to their political actions and that during and after their activities to form HADEP in Silopi, these repressive practices continued in an attempt to force them to resign from their positions.
Actions requested :
i. immediately locate Mr Tanis and Mr Deniz and ensure their physical and psychological integrity;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid charges;
iii. order an immediate investigation into their disappearance, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. conform with the European convention for the protection of human rights and the Universal Declaration on Human rights as well as other international instruments relative to human rights ratified by Turkey.
Addresses :
Minister of Interior, Mr Saadettin Tantan, Içisleri Bakanligi, 06644 Ankara, Turkey, Faxes: + 90 312 418 17 95.
Minister of Justice, Prof Hikmet Sami Türk, Ministry of Justice, Adalet Bakanligi, 06659 Ankara, Turkey, Faxes: + 90 312 417 3954 / 418 5667
State Minister with responsibility for Human Rights, Mr Rüstü Kazim Yücelen, Office of the Prime Minister, Basbakanlik, 06573 Ankara, Turkey, Faxes: + 90 312 417 0476
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the code of the appeal.
Geneva, 15th February 2001