Türkiye
15.04.04
Urgent Interventions
Turkey: serious risks to the personal integrity of torture victim Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sidik Özen
Case TUR 150404
Harassment / Risk to personal integrity
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Turkey.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of serious risks to the personal integrity of torture victim Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen, who have been forced into hiding in Bingöl, Turkey.
According to the information received, 7-8 people raided the house of Mr Selahattin Öge on April 12th, 2004 at about 11:30 p.m. in the Yorgançayir (Karahamza) village of Karliova, Bingöl. When Mr Selahattin Öge’s family asked the people who they were, they replied saying that they were members of an illegal organization. However, family members recognised some of them as being village guards.
It is important to note that on February 19th, 2001, Mr Selahattin Öge was arrested, detained and tortured by members of the security forces wearing ski masks, following which he was left for dead in the grounds of the Karliova Boarding School, in a rural area of Karliovaas. A fact-finding mission was reportedly conducted into these events and a report was produced. Following this, the alleged perpetrators were acquitted by Bingöl Heavy Penal Court and the the case has recently been brought before the Supreme Court.
As a result of this past incident, during the raid on April 12th, 2004, Mr Öge’s son reacted out of fear for his and his family’s lives and shot towards the persons who were raiding their home. A fight reportedly ensued, during which Mr Selahattin Öge and his neighbor, Mr Sidik Özen, escaped and went into hiding outside the village, as they fear that they may be killed if the authorities take them into custody. These fears have also been voiced by their family members now that they are in hiding.
Starting in the early morning of April 13th, 2004, the police (gendarme) officers conducted an operation in an around the village, ostensibly looking for the two men. Family members and the other villagers, who have been prevented from entering the village by the security forces, have contacted local NGOs, who have attempted to call several officials concerning the case. The Governor of Bingöl has reportedly refused to meet with NGOs in order to discuss the case of Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen, despite serious concerns for their lives.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Selahattin Öge and Mr Sidik Özen and urges the Turkish authorities to take all measures necessary to guarantee their personal integrity and to allow them to return home. OMCT also calls on the authorities to ensure that the victims and their families are no longer subjected to harassment of any kind. OMCT is concerned that this latest raid on the house of Mr Selahattin Öge is related to the case that is currently before the Supreme Court, and OMCT calls on the authorities to ensure that no further pressure of this type is brought to bear on the Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen in this context.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Turkey urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Selahattin Öge and Mr Sidik Özen;
ii. immediately cease the harassment of Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen and their families;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Turkish Republic, Mr Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Cumhur Baskanligi, 06100, Ankara, Turkey, Fax: +90 312 427 1330
· Foreign Minister and State Minister with responsibility for Human Rights, Mr Abdullah Gul, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Disisleri Bakanligi, 06100 Ankara, Turkey, Fax: + 90 312 287 15 81
· Minister of the Interior, Mr Abdulkadir Aksu, Ministry of Interior, Icisleri Bakanligi, 06644 Ankara, Turkey, Fax: +90 312 418 17 95
· Minister of Justice, Mr Cemil Cicek, Ministry of Justice, Adalet Bakanligi, 06659 Ankara, Turkey, Fax: +90 312 418 5667
· Ambassadeur, Kurttekin, Türkekul, Mission permanente de la Turquie, Ch. du Petit-Saconnex 28b - CP 271, CH-1211, Genève 19, Suisse, E-mail : mission.turkey@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 734 08 59
Please also write to the embassies of Turkey in your respective country.
Geneva, April 15th, 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Harassment / Risk to personal integrity
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Turkey.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of serious risks to the personal integrity of torture victim Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen, who have been forced into hiding in Bingöl, Turkey.
According to the information received, 7-8 people raided the house of Mr Selahattin Öge on April 12th, 2004 at about 11:30 p.m. in the Yorgançayir (Karahamza) village of Karliova, Bingöl. When Mr Selahattin Öge’s family asked the people who they were, they replied saying that they were members of an illegal organization. However, family members recognised some of them as being village guards.
It is important to note that on February 19th, 2001, Mr Selahattin Öge was arrested, detained and tortured by members of the security forces wearing ski masks, following which he was left for dead in the grounds of the Karliova Boarding School, in a rural area of Karliovaas. A fact-finding mission was reportedly conducted into these events and a report was produced. Following this, the alleged perpetrators were acquitted by Bingöl Heavy Penal Court and the the case has recently been brought before the Supreme Court.
As a result of this past incident, during the raid on April 12th, 2004, Mr Öge’s son reacted out of fear for his and his family’s lives and shot towards the persons who were raiding their home. A fight reportedly ensued, during which Mr Selahattin Öge and his neighbor, Mr Sidik Özen, escaped and went into hiding outside the village, as they fear that they may be killed if the authorities take them into custody. These fears have also been voiced by their family members now that they are in hiding.
Starting in the early morning of April 13th, 2004, the police (gendarme) officers conducted an operation in an around the village, ostensibly looking for the two men. Family members and the other villagers, who have been prevented from entering the village by the security forces, have contacted local NGOs, who have attempted to call several officials concerning the case. The Governor of Bingöl has reportedly refused to meet with NGOs in order to discuss the case of Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen, despite serious concerns for their lives.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Selahattin Öge and Mr Sidik Özen and urges the Turkish authorities to take all measures necessary to guarantee their personal integrity and to allow them to return home. OMCT also calls on the authorities to ensure that the victims and their families are no longer subjected to harassment of any kind. OMCT is concerned that this latest raid on the house of Mr Selahattin Öge is related to the case that is currently before the Supreme Court, and OMCT calls on the authorities to ensure that no further pressure of this type is brought to bear on the Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen in this context.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Turkey urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Selahattin Öge and Mr Sidik Özen;
ii. immediately cease the harassment of Mr Selahattin Öge and of Mr Sıdık Özen and their families;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Turkish Republic, Mr Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Cumhur Baskanligi, 06100, Ankara, Turkey, Fax: +90 312 427 1330
· Foreign Minister and State Minister with responsibility for Human Rights, Mr Abdullah Gul, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Disisleri Bakanligi, 06100 Ankara, Turkey, Fax: + 90 312 287 15 81
· Minister of the Interior, Mr Abdulkadir Aksu, Ministry of Interior, Icisleri Bakanligi, 06644 Ankara, Turkey, Fax: +90 312 418 17 95
· Minister of Justice, Mr Cemil Cicek, Ministry of Justice, Adalet Bakanligi, 06659 Ankara, Turkey, Fax: +90 312 418 5667
· Ambassadeur, Kurttekin, Türkekul, Mission permanente de la Turquie, Ch. du Petit-Saconnex 28b - CP 271, CH-1211, Genève 19, Suisse, E-mail : mission.turkey@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 734 08 59
Please also write to the embassies of Turkey in your respective country.
Geneva, April 15th, 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.