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A non-government information service on Turkey
Un service d'information non-gouvernemental sur la Turquie


194

18th Year - N°194
December 1992
38 rue des Eburons - 1000 Bruxelles
Tél: (32-2) 215 35 76 - Fax: (32-2) 215 58 60
 Rédacteur en chef: Dogan Özgüden - Editrice responsable: Inci Tugsavul
 

The Human Rights Association of Turkey, Amnesty International,
Helsinki Watch and the Council of Europe  criticize Ankara’s human rights record

1992: ANNUS HORRIBILIS
   
    The Human Rights Association (IHD) Chairman Akin Birdal stated on the last day of the year that 1992 had been a fiasco for human rights in Turkey, and that no decrease whatsoever had been observed in the number of human rights violations since the coalition government came to power following the October 20, 1991 general elections.
    Birdal said that 43 people had either died or gone “missing” under police custody in 1992, and that the number of “suspicious deaths” was as high as 171.
    Addressing a press conference in Ankara, Birdal argued that 1992 had been an annus horribilis for Turkey’s already deplorable human rights record, and no improvement whatsoever had occurred.
    Calling on Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel and Deputy Prime Minister Erdal Inönü to announce they would severely punish perpetrators of torture, Birdal said this would definitely curb the widespread practice of torture in the country.
    In November, Amnesty International published a 20-page report entitled Walls of Glass, a reference to an election pledge made by Demirel in October 1991 that in the “New Turkey - the walls of all police stations will be made of glass.”
    The report draws attention to the continued allegations of torture and the worrying increase in reports of extra-judicial killings.
    Of the killings the report says “there is a striking degree of coincidence between the targets of these mysterious killings attributed to the Hezbollah, and the targets of police harassment, arbitrary detention, ill-treatment and torture, and it is widely believed that the security forces collude in such assassinations, and may actually instigate them.”
    Helsinki Watch released in December a 78-page report entitled Broken Promises: Torture and Killings continue in Turkey.
    Helsinki Watch stated that in 1992 “Turkish security forces have shot and killed 74 people in house raids, and the evidence suggests that the killings were deliberate executions. Security forces also shot and killed more than 100 peaceful demonstrators during 1992.  Besides, 165 community leaders in south-east Turkey have been assassinated by unknown assailants in 1992 and Turkish authorities have failed utterly to investigate these killings and prosecute those responsible.”
    Furthermore, the Council Of Europe's Committee For The Prevention Of Torture released  a highly critical report on December 21, 1992,  about police torture in Turkey.
    The report, which proved particularly embarrassing for the Turkish Government having just completed the six-month presidency of the Council, concluded that "the practice of torture and other forms of severe ill-treatment of persons in police custody remains widespread in Turkey and that such methods are applied to both ordinary criminal suspects and persons held under anti-terrorism provisions." (The  extracts of the public statement will be given in the next issue of Info-Türk.)
    The main target of the State terrorism in Turkey has been without any doubt the Kurdish militants and intellectuals who demand the recognition of their national rights.     The semi-official Anatolian news agency reported on December 31 that in operations launched by security forces in eastern Turkey, 162 “terrorists” were killed while 150 PKK militants were caught alive. The police arrested 204 locals accused of aiding and abetting PKK activities.
    However, these figures are in flagrant contradiction with those given by the security authorities.  The State of Emergency Regional Governor Ünal Erkan said on December 30 that Turkish security forces killed a total of 3,000 “separatists terrorists” in 1992. As 2000 of them were killed in the recent Turkish operation in northern Iraq, the rest had fallen victim to security operations in southeast Turkey.
    More precisely, he said a total of 1,650 “terrorists” had either been killed, wounded or captured in southeastern Turkey and that 8,136 suspects had been caught for assisting the PKK.
    Erkan added that 3,290 of the suspects had been arrested while the investigations of 4,846 suspects were continuing.
    According to the governor, a total of 467 soldiers, 113 village guards and 552 civilian were killed by the “terrorists” in the same period..
    To more clearly illustrate the situation, we present below the the practices of human rights violations perpetrated either directly by the State forces or by obscure forces instigated and protected by the State in last three months of 1992..

THREE-MONTH STATE TERRORISM

    1.10, in Silvan, Medeni Bucak (22) and Ihsan Bucak (20) were allegedly shot dead by the Hezbollah.
    1.10,in the province of Kocaeli, 18 alleged militants of the Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey (TDKP) have been detained during police operations in September.
    1.10, in Adana, two brothers were detained for propaganda in favour of the PKK.
    1.10, in Fethiye, a group of 200 people attacked cars and shops belonging to Kurdish people and wounded three persons. HEP local chairman was placed under police protection.
    2.10, in Mazidagi (Mardin), two gunmen shot dead a grocer named Davud Acar. Same day, in Midyat, Ferit Cakar (50) was killed by three gunmen.
    2.10, in Ankara, a member of Parliament, Ömer Faruk Ekinci (RP), was beaten by police as attending a student demonstration against the rise of traffic accidents.
    2.10, in Istanbul, police announced the arrest of 18 people accused of leading pro-PKK activities.
    2.10, in Istanbul, the SSC sentenced Soner Kardaslar to 7 years 3 months and 15 days in prison, and Eylem Pamukcu to 4 years, 10 months and 10 days for being members of an underground organization.
    3.10, in Diyarbakir, ten attorneys of Kurdish origin were taken into custody for having chanted Kurdish songs during a wedding ceremony.
    4.10, the first congress of the Trade Union of Public Forestry Servants (Or-Kam-Sen) was banned by the Ankara Governor on pretext that the public servants do not have the right to organize.
    4.10, in Ceylanpinar (Urfa), Seydo Korkmaz (52) and his wife Zübeyde Korkmaz (50) were shot dead by unidentified people.
    4.10, in Fethiye,some shops belonging Kurdish people were again attacked. Twenty people were taken into custody for attempting to put an fire a Kurdish restaurant. It is reported that ten Kurdish families had to quit Fethiye in fear of being assassinated.
    5.10, in Silvan (Diyarbakir), Mehmet Sait Isci (40) was shot dead by the Hezbollah.
    5.10, twelve members of the HEP were sent to the Ankara SSC for their declarations during the party convention held in Ankara on September 13.
    5.10, in Eskisehir, the Association for Rights and Freedoms (Özgür-Der) was closed down by the governor's order on pretext that the association's officials were indicted by the Konya SSC.
    5.10, in Istanbul,  during the funeral of three youths, killed by police raids on September 28, security forces opened fire for preventing a protest march and 60 peoples were taken into custody.
    5.10, the Istanbul SSC sentenced four persons accused of having participated in PKK actions to prison terms of up to 8 years and four months.  Another defendants, Mrs. Hakime Esmeray who had declared being tortured and sexually harassed during police interrogation was acquitted.
    5.10, in Batman, Fahrettin Celik (32) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
    7.10, in Istanbul, nine people were put under arrest by a tribunal on charges of having taken part in PKK activities.
    8.10, in Bursa, three university student detained a few days ago alleged after their release that they had been subjected to torture during their interrogation.
    8.10, in Adana, police arrested nine alleged PKK members. Same day, 70-year old Dervis Yün and four other Kurds were put under arrest by the SSC for separatist activities.
    9.10, police announced that 17 alleged Dev-Sol members had been detained in Istanbul.
    9.10, in Diyarbakir, a Hezbollah team shot dead teacher Zülküf Sani (32) and wounded another teacher, Necati Günes.
    10.10, police, raiding a house supposed to be a Dev-Sol shelter in Istanbul, shot dead a young woman named Sultan Cenik (23)..
    10.10, in Batman, tradesman Mehmet Emin Basaran (27) was shot dead by the Hezbollah.
    10.10, the Istanbul office of the Human Rights' Association (IHD) was raided by police and many documents were confiscated.
    11.10, in Izmir, a meeting of public servants affiliated to trade unions was raided by police. The local chairman of the Human Rights' Association (IHD), Yesim Islegen and four persons were wounded during the operation.
    11.10, police announced the arrest of 23 alleged Dev-Sol militants in the provinces of Izmir, Denizli and Aydin.
    11.10, in Batman, Besir Aslan was assassinated by the Hezbollah.
    12.10, in Batman, Mehmet Siddik Öztekin (24) was shot dead by the Hezbollah.
    12.10, in Istanbul, the Association for Fighting Expensiveness and Unemployment (IPSD) by the Governor on pretext that such a name might be against the public interests.
    13.10, a student meeting on the occasion of the opening of new educational year at the Dicle University of Diyarbakir was raided by police using force and about 80 students were detained.
    13.10, in Batman, the Hezbollah shot dead a tradesman, Mehmet Sah Tangünes (32).
    14.10, the Istanbul SSC put under arrest ten people recently apprehended by police for participating in Dev-Sol activities
    14.10, in Istanbul, during the funeral of Sultan Cenik, assassinated by police on October 10, police detained nine people.
    14.10, the Istanbul SSC sentenced five people to prison terms of up to 12 years and 6 months for being members of PKK.
    15.10, in Istanbul, a young woman under arrest, Nursemin Yilmaz announced that she had been tortured during her interrogation by police. The torture was certified by a medical report.
    15.10, in Zara (Sivas), six people were arrested by a tribunal on charges of giving aid to Dev-Sol.
    15.10 in Nusaybin (Mardin), Mahmut Turan (19) was assassinated by the Hezbollah.
    15.10, the Ministry of National Education announced that 622 primary or secondary schools had been closed in the area of state of emergency. Of the closed schools, 201 are in Elazig, 188 in Mardin, 127 in Siirt, 59 in Sirnak, 35 in Van and 12 in Diyarbakir.
    16.10, HEP Diyarbakir deputy Sedat Yurttas announced that a Kurd named Mehmet Ertak had disappeared since his detention on August 22.
    16.10, in Mardin, Kadri Elmas reported that he had been subjected torture after his detention on October 4.
    16.10, the trial of 35 people arrested after the Newroz Incidents in Sirnak began at the Diyarbakir SSC. Accused of separatist activities, 16 of the defendants face capital punishment. The court decided to hold the trial closed to public on grounds that some of the defendants are younger than 18 years. Among the defendants facing prison terms of up to 15 years are also local IHD chairman Sekvan Aytu, Sirnak Mayor Ahmet Hamdi Yildirim, HEP provincial chairman Feyzullah Demir and for Siirt deputy Kemal Birlik.
    16.10, in Silvan, two workers were assassinated by unidentified persons as they were going to their work in the morning. In Siirt, a taxi driver named Kasim Efe, kidnapped three days ago, was found assassinated.
    17.10, on the road Midyat-Nusaybin, a team of village protectors shot dead Cumhur Göktürk (47) and his son Cemal Göktürk (27). Same day, taxi-driver Izzettin Akgül (37) was shot dead by unidentified persons in Kiziltepe and tradesman Serif Basci by the Hezbollah in Batman.
    18.10, a political detainee at the Malatya E Type Prison, Bahayettin El said having witnessed to the death under torture of Agit Salman at the police headquarters of Adana on April 27.
    18.10, in Istanbul, 59 people were put under arrest for having attended the funeral of two persons, assassinated by police during a raid on September 28.
    19.10, in Batman, Metin Tan (22) was assassinated by unidentified people.  The victim is the son of Siddik Tan, a IHD official who had been shot dead in July. In Nusaybin, electrician  Abdulkadir Demirbag (32) was assassinated by the Hezbollah.
    20.10, the Hezbollah shot dead Necmettin Keles (20) in Batman and taxi driver Sinan Demirtas (18) in Nusaybin.
    20.10, in Istanbul, police detained ten people during an operation against the Dev-Sol.  Same day, five people were detained in Izmir.
    21.10, the hunger strike launched by 100 political detainees at the Buca Prison in Izmir on September 14  ended  on the acceptation of the majority of the demands. Three of the strikers were sent to hospital.
    21.10, in Ankara, police detained eight people during a series of raids on houses.
    21.10, a PKK militant, Mahmud Muhammed was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Kayseri SSC.
    21.10, the Ankara SSC Prosecutor indicted 24 people for PKK activities. The defendants face prison terms of up to 20 years for separatism.
    21.10, the Bar Association of Diyarbakir announced that lawyer Cuma Yakut was tortured and wounded at the Gendarmerie Headquarters of Ergani to where he had been taken for an investigation.
    22.10, a candidate for the municipal elections in Izmir, Hüseyin Aslan was arrested by the Izmir SSC for separatist propaganda.
    22.10, in Nusaybin, a welder named Hasan Cetin was assassinated by the Hezbollah. Same day, 17 year-old Zeyni Dag who had been wounded by the Hezbollah died in hospital.
    23.10, the trial of two alleged Dev-Sol members, Yasemin Okuyucu and Metin Dikme, began at the Istanbul SSC under the menace of capital punishment. The defendants declared that they had to sign their police depositions under torture.
    23.10, the trial of 32 trade union officials accused of illegal activities began at the penal court N° 16 of Ankara..The prosecutor demands prison terms of up to three years for each.
    23.10, a young detainee named Remzi Basalak was reportedly died as a result of cerebral haemorrhage during his interrogation at the Adana Police Headquarters.
    24.10, three persons were assassinated by unidentified persons: Mehmet Yigit (67) in Midyat, Zülküf Kacmaz (38) in Hani and teacher Mehmet Sirin Kaya (36) in Diyarbakir.
    25.10, unidentified persons shot dead a driving school owner, Mehmet Beser (42), in Nusaybin, Seyhmuz Kursun (32) in Batman and a women named Birgül Eken (21) in Hazro.
    25.10, the headman of the Sugeldi Village, Tahir Saday (56) was killed under torture at the gendarmerie headquarters of Van. He had been under custody since October 20.
    26.10, two construction workers, Anter Yalcin (40) and Sükrü Kilic (56) were shot dead by unidentified persons in Batman.
    26.10, in Savur (Mardin), fifteen people were arrested in relation with a PKK assault to the town of Sürgücü.
    27.10, the trial of 23 people arrested after the August 92 incidents in Sirnak began at the Diyarbakir SSC. 22 of the defendants face capital punishment by virtue of Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code.
    27.10, the Istanbul SSC sentenced 21 members of the Islamic Party of Kurdistan (PIK) to different prison terms of up to life-prison.
    27.10, in Istanbul, the police announced the arrest of 26 alleged PKK militants during last one-month operations.
    27.10, a taxi driver, Hadi Baltaci (24) was shot dead in Kiziltepe.
    28.10, unidentified persons assassinated a tradesman, Zeki Aslan (38) in Nusaybin.
    28.10, in Izmir, a young woman named Nihal Aslantürk was wounded and detained by police on charge of putting on wall a poster of the Union of Revolutionary Communist of Turkey (TIKB).
    28.10, in Tatvan, Hüsnü Özer (25) who had disappeared since October 12 was found dead with the traces of beating on the body.
    29.10, during the funeral of a soldier who died at the Northern Iraq Operation, some groups attacked on shops belonging to Kurds and attempted to lynch two Kurds.
Same day, similar anti-Kurdish attacks occurred in Kusadasi, Bursa and Erzurum.
    30.10, in Diyarbakir, a contractor named Sevki Kaya (43) was killed by unidentified persons.
    31.10, in Batman, the dead body of Ramazan Altunses, detained on October 21, was given to his family. Police authorities claimed that he died because of his illness. However, his family members denied the police's claim by saying that his dead body was full of the traces of torture.
    31.10, in Alanya, anti-Kurdish groups attacked again the shops belonging to Kurds and wounded by beating two Kurds, Ali Nergiz and Ali Asik.
    31.10, in Batman, taxi driver Ali Teymur (39) was assassinated by unidentified persons.
    31.10, during the funeral of six TKP-ML militants, killed during an armed conflict, police detained 13 people
    31.10, Birol Savas (23) was killed at the gendarmerie station in Bismil when he went there to collect his monthly newspaper fee. A NCO whose named is not revealed was arrested for the murder.
    1.11, in Istanbul, Abdullah Tanriverdi, detained as a robbery suspect, declared in court that he was tortured for four days while under detention.
    1.11, in Gebze, police raided a number of houses and detained 14 people, mainly members of the HEP.
    2.11, the Diyarbakir SSC sentenced nine people to prison terms of up to 12 years for PKK activities.
    2.11, in Cizre, the Workers' Party (IP) local chairman Resul Sakar (45) was found hanging from an electricity pole. He had been kidnapped by twenty people raiding his house.
    3.11, in Nusaybin, a taxi driver, Bülent Daglar (25) was assassinated by unidentified people.
    4.11, the Hezbollah shot dead a worker, Sultan Erol (30) in Nusaybin.
    4.11, in Istanbul, police raided the Aksaray headquarters of the Association for Rights and Freedoms (Özgür-Der).  On the other hand, a cultural association at the Esenler Quarters (EYKAD) was closed down by the governor's order.
    5.11, in Izmir, political police detained eight people for illegal activities.
    5.11, HEP Kovancilar (Elazig) chairman Rodi Demirkapi was assassinated by an unidentified persons. Same day, in Diyarbakir, the Hezbollah shot dead a worker, Abdülbaki Kisin. His brother Nizamettin Kisin too had been assassinated by the Hezbollah on January 23, 1992.
    6.11, the Adana section of the IHD was closed down by the Governor. Police searching the IHD office confiscated all documents inside and detained three members.
    6.11, police detained six people in Izmir, three in Batman and three in Ankara for illegal activities.
    6.11, HEP Icel Chairman Sedat Kalaba detained by police. After his release, Kalaba said that he had been tortured during his interrogation.
    6.11, in Mersin, HEP member Heybet Keskin was reportedly tortured by police after being detained on October 31.
    7.11, in Ankara, a university student, Hatun Özcelik announced that she had been tortured by police after being detained on November 4.
    7.11, two Canadians, Wilf Gray and Bromley Robert, were detained in Istanbul for Christian propaganda.
    9.11, the Diyarbakir SSC sentenced eight PKK members to life imprisonment each. Four other defendants were sentenced to prison terms of up to 12 years.
    9.11, in Istanbul, police announced the arrest of 20 people for participating in the activities of the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (TKP/ML).
    9.11, in Tatvan, the Hezbollah assassinated Sabri Coskun (33) by destroying his car with a bomb.
    10.11, families of eight missing suspects launched a campaign at the IHD Ankara Section, demanding to learn the fate of their relatives. They were armed with placards titled "missing," and portraying a picture of their relatives.
    10.11, in Elazig, 34 people were detained for carrying out activities in favour of a Islamic sect, Aczmendi.
    10.11, a 70-year old shepherd, Mehmet Akkan was shot dead in Dargecit (Mardin) as grazing a cattle.
    12.11, police announced the arrest of 20 people in Ankara and two university students in Afyon.
    12.11, Diyarbakir Mayor Turgut Atalay was wounded at an armed attack in front of his house.
    13.11, the hunger strike of 180 prisoners in the Elazig Prison entered its 41st consecutive day. Hunger strikes also continue for better prison conditions and human rights in the Malatya, Gaziantep and Sagmalcilar prisons.
    15.11, in Batman, grocer Suphi Aslan (27) was assassinated by unidentified people.
    16.11, in Aydin, eight people were detained for PKK activities.
    16.11, in Diyarbakir, a taxi driver, Menaf Tohumeker was assassinated by unidentified people.
    17.11, in Batman, a photographer, Semdin Turan (48), was shot dead by the Hezbollah.
    17.11, in Dogubeyazit, two persons named Semsettin Güner and Menderes Bayram were found assassinated. In Silvan, Kamil Yalciner (40) was shot dead by the Hezbollah.
    17.11, police announced the arrest of nine people in Kocaeli and Gebze for the Workers'-Peasants' Liberation Army of Turkey (TIKKO) activities.
    18.11, in Bulanik (Mus), police detained eighteen people during a series of raids on houses.
    19.11, the IHD announced that three persons, Hasan Akdemir, Yusuf Gündür and Tahir Yalcin, were subjected to torture during their interrogation after being detained on November 15 in Izmir.
    20.11, a university student, Filiz Cinar (21) who had been detained on November 18 for putting posters on the university's wall, said after her release that she had been subjected to torture during his interrogation. The traces of torture were certified by a medical report.
    20.11, police announced the arrest of 16 people in Bursa and Balikesir for Dev-Sol activities, six university students in Balikesir for TDKP activities and 13 people for PKK activities in Istanbul.
    20.11, in Izmir., 52 people were detained for having participated in demonstrations to celebrate the anniversary of the PKK's foundation.
    20.11, the hunger strike of 261 political inmates at the Elazig Prison ended o after an agreement with the prison administration.
r    20.11, university student Nurhayat Varol who had been detained on November 18, announced after her release that she had been tortured during her interrogation at police.
    20.11, in Karakoyunlu, peasant Nurettin Serhayat (32) was shot dead by unidentified people.
    21.11, the Üsküdar Association for Culture and Arts (ÜKSD) in Istanbul was closed down by the Governor for unauthorized activities.
    21.11, HEP Eleskirt  chairman Ibrahim Gümüstekin was detained by police.
    22.11, in Silvan, photographer Mehmet Firat Gecmez (22) and teacher Mehdi Sanli (37) were shot dead by unidentified people.
    22.11, Alkan Demirci holding a press conference at the IHD's Istanbul office charged that he was tortured at a police center after being detained by police.
    22.11, the IHD Van section announced that students at the Van Health School were beaten and forced into religious education. 13 students were reportedly hospitalized in the past year.
    23.11, in Malatya, the Association for Rights and Freedoms (Özgür-Der) was closed down by the Governor for unauthorized activities.
    23.11, police announced the arrest of 24 alleged PKK members in Erzurum.
    23.11, the Hezbollah assassinated  Mehmet Emin Gezer (45) in Batman.
    25.11, police announced the arrest of 21 people in Mersin.
    25.11, the Malatya SSC sentenced two alleged PKK members to prison terms of up to 12 years and 6 months.
    26.11, in Izmir, seven persons were detained by police for PKK activities. in Viransehir, 50 people were reportedly taken into custody at a series of police operations.
    27.11, in Istanbul, eleven people were detained for carrying out activities for an Islamist organization entitled IBDA-C.
    27.11, the trial of 36 people accused of illegal demonstration on August 15 began at the Istanbul SSC.
    28.11, in Izmir, 17 out of 40 people who were detained in November for PKK activities reported that they were subjected to torture during their police interrogation. Their claims are confirmed by medical reports.
    29.11, security forces placed 240 people under detention at the Basdegirmen village of Mardin on grounds of staging an illegal demonstration. Besides, 470 people were detained in Kiziltepe, Malazgirt and Mazidagi.
    29.11, in Istanbul, 40 students participating in a festivity at the Bogazici University were detained by police.
    30.11, police announced the arrest of 25 people in Siverek, 20 people in Diyarbakir, Van, Tunceli and Mardin at the end of November for PKK activities..
    1.12, a HEP official in Antalya, Idris Celik (40) was shot dead by unidentified people in front of his house
    2.12, four people were arrested in Urla on the grounds that they insulted Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
    3.12, the trial of 19 alleged PKK members began at the Istanbul SSC with the Prosecutor's demand of prison terms of more than ten years for each. Defendant Baran Bingöl said at his interrogation that he had been tortured at the police detention and the traces of torture were certified by a medical report.
    3.12, the Hezbollah shot dead a prison guard, Tacettin Yilmaz (31) in Diyarbakir.
    3.12, in Midyat, Mehmet Isler (18) was shot dead by unidentified people. In Dargecit, a girl named Melek Bora was killed by a bomb explosion.
    4.12, a HEP official in Antalya, Yusuf Solmaz was assassinated by unidentified people.
    4.12, in Istanbul, a 58-year old SHP member, Sadettin Köse, who had been detained on November 28, announced at a press conference after his release that he had been tortured during his interrogation.
    5.12, in Batman, Mehmet Salih Kaplan (33) and Nuri Kaya (38) were gunned down by unidentified persons.
    5.12, police beat a number of demonstrators and detained 60 people for shouting pro-Kurdish slogans, following a joint meeting held in Istanbul under the auspices of 11 trade unions and the Socialist Turkey Party (STP).
    5.12, a suspect, Attila Aksu, reported that he was tortured for five hours in police custody. He was given a medical report confirming the torture.
    5.12, a meeting organized by the unions of public servants in Adana was banned by the Governor. When some groups attempted to carry out an unauthorized demonstration, police detained about 20 people.
    5.12, the New Democratic Women's Association (YDKD) was closed down by the Governor of Istanbul. During the execution of the order, police seized a number of documents in the association's office.
    7.12, police announced the arrest of 15 alleged PKK militants in Aydin and Nazilli.
    8.12, in Söke, Hüseyin Iskeceli (23) reported that he was tortured at police detention. He was given a medical report certifying the torture. In Istanbul, a public servant named Adem Tunali too alleged to be tortured after his detention on November 29.
    8.12, in Istanbul, 30 people were detained for carrying out Dev-Sol activities.
    8.12, the Diyarbakir SSC sentenced four persons to prison terms of up to 15 years for PKK activities.
    9.12, police announced the arrest of 16 alleged PKK members in Denizli and 200 suspects of illegal activities in Antalya.
    9.12, street vendor Mehmet Aras (24) was shot dead by a police officer in Istanbul.
    9.12,  police detained six HEP officials in Fethiye and the HEP local chairman Eyüp Karagecili in Urfa.
    10.12, in Siverek,a police team raiding a house shot dead two persons inside.
    10.12, in Gebze, a gendarmerie unit wounded three of the workers on strike.
    10.12, in Diyarbakir, Nezir Aklar was shot by unidentified gunmen.
    10.12, the IHD Samsun section was closed down by the  governor's order. The celebration of Human Rights Day was also banned.
    10.12, in Tatvan, taxi driver Mehmet Emin Orak was shot dead by an unidentified gunman.
    10.12, Beytüssebap Mayor Mustafa Dursun was detained by police together with two State officials.
    11.12, Silopi Mayor Levent Taysun was arrested on charges of aiding the PKK.
    11.12, security forces detained 50 people during anti-PKK operations in Batman, Siirt, Mardin and Diyarbakir and 50 other people in Siverek and Ceylanpinar.
    11.12, the trial of six people, accused of being TIKKO members, began at the Istanbul SSC. The defendants were beaten and ousted from the court-room when they shouted slogans against torturers.
    12.12, Dr. Tayfun Gönül, a member of the Association Against War, was detained in Izmir after delivering a speech at a IHD meeting. Mrs. Gülay Toraman, wife of a missing IHD member, too was detained in Izmir.
    13.12, in Nusaybin, the Hezbollah shot dead Sinan Yilmaz (19).
    14.12, Selahattin Behcet (22) reported that he had been tortured by police during his 20-hour detention in Istanbul.
    14.12; Patnos Mayor Ihsan Celik was discharged from his post on charges of giving aid to the PKK.
    15.12, in Batman, unidentified gunmen shot dead Mehmet Yilmaz (30).
    15.12, a woman named Sevim Pinar was sentenced to a 20-month imprisonment and a fine of 42 Million TL (5,250 Dollars) for shouting separatist slogans during the Newroz celebrations in Antalya.
    16.12, in Istanbul, a meeting by the Bogazici University students in protest against the human rights violations in Turkey was prevented by police and 15 students were detained.
    16.12, the Hezbollah gunmen shot dead Sait Yildiz (28) in Batman, Ali Tuac (26) and  Bedrettin Kilic (26) in Nusaybin.
    16.12, HEP Deputy Chairman Mahmut Kilic declared that security forces in the Southeast raped women and bombed villages, killing civilians. He added that some terrorist attacks alleged to have been perpetrated by the PKK were actually carried out by the Counter-guerrilla.
    16.12, Hüseyin Aslan, a candidate for mayor in Narlibahce (Izmir) was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and fined 83 Million TL (10,375 Dollars) for his electoral speeches.
    16.12, unidentified gunmen shot dead Garibe Karasakal (18) in Nusaybin and Mustafa Ucakan (41) in Diyarbakir.
    17.12, lawyer Fethiye Peksen was sentenced by the Izmir SCC to a prison term of 3 years and nine months for helping the Dev-Sol.
    17.12, HEP Igdir Chairman Abdullah Ipek was detained together with three other persons.
    17.12, the Izmir SSC sentenced three Dev-Sol members to prison terms of up to 4 years and 2 months.
    18.12, in Viransehir, thirteen detainees said after their release that they had been subjected to torture for 15 days
    19.12, in Istanbul, university student Sabahat Varol reported in Istanbul that she had been tortured after her detention on December 12.
    19.12, a new trial concerning 26 alleged PKK members  began at the Istanbul SSC. Three of the defendants face capital punishment.
    20.12, a meeting of the Mesopotamia Cultural Center was banned by the governor.
    21.12, the Interior Ministry ordered all governors to start administrative proceeding against public servants participating in trade union activities. In Ankara, 6,000 public servants held a rally for demanding the recognition of their trade union rights.
    21.12, Abdulselam Tunc, kidnapped two days ago by the Village Protectors was found killed in Midyat.
    21.12, in Cinar (Diyarbakir), Mehmet Atli and Süleyman Atli found assassinated.
    21.12, in Midyat, two persons kidnapped earlier, Hüseyin Eser and Seyfettin Kardes were found assassinated.
    22.12, in Istanbul, a tradesman named Mehmet Baltas reported that he had been tortured after his detention on December 15 and torturers confiscated a total of 20 Million TL in his possession.
    22.12, police announced the arrest of 30 alleged PKK militants in Izmir.
    22.12, in Diyarbakir, Ubeydullah Dalar (40) was assassinated by the Hezbollah.
    22.12, in Edirne, 157 university students were detained by police for having shouted pro-PKK slogans.
    23.12, in Konya, teacher Halit Cigal was sentenced to 18-month imprisonment for propaganda against secularity and Atatürk. He was discharged of his post as well.
    23.12, in Batman, Faik Öztas (28) was assassinated by the Hezbollah. In Midyat, Abdülselam Tunc was found assassinated.
    24.12, in Suruc (Urfa), security forces raiding a house shot dead seven people inside on charges of PKK activities.
    24.12, in Ankara, high school student Rahsan Eren was reportedly tortured after being taken by a police team on December 20.
    24.12, police announced the arrest of 30 people in Antalya on charges of PKK activities.
    24.12, in Batman, a former political detainee, Mehmet Sirin Özbek (34) was assassinated by unidentified people. He had stayed for ten years in prison after the 1980 coup.
    24.12, in Nusaybin, the Hezbollah shot dead Ali Aslan.
    24.12, in Istanbul, six alleged PKK militants were arrested during police operations.
    24.12, three persons were sentenced by the Malatya SSC to prison terms of up to life-prison for PKK activities.
    24.12, in Bismil, Ihsan Icer who had been kidnapped eleven days ago was found assassinated.
    25.12, in Istanbul, thirteen people detained in November on charges of Islamist activities reported that they had been subjected to torture. The traces of torture were certified by a medical report. Again in Istanbul, 23 people detained in November for PKK activities claimed to have been tortured by police.
    25.12, the trial of 15 HEP officials, accused of having made separatist declaration at the party's congress on September 19, began at the Ankara SSC. By virtue of Article 125 of the TPC, each faces capital punishment.
    25.12, the Hezbollah assassinated a village headman, Naif Keles (45) and grocer Alptekin Sevim (24) in Batman.
    26.12, the trial of Nilgun Gök and Bülent Yildirim who had been arrested in November for putting some anti-war posters on walls began at the Istanbul SSC. They declared to have been tortured during police interrogation.
    26.12, in Mugla, HEP Yatagan chairman Mehmet Nuri Ermis and 29 other people were detained during a series of police raids on some houses and shops.
    28.12, the Istanbul SSC began to try 12 people on charges of participating in Dev-Sol activities. Three of the defendants face capital punishment.
    28.12, in Diyarbakir, Mehmet Salih Eksi was assassinated by unidentified people.
    29.12, in Diyarbakir, Abdulkadir Cesur was wound assassinated.
    31.12, closing the year, the IHD disclose that a total of 32 people have been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in December and that a total of 22 newspapers and magazines have been seized.

THREE-MONTH PRESSURE ON THE MEDIA

    1.10, a new book entitled The Logic of the Revolution and the Question of Power, written by Salih Ilter, was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for inciting the people to revolt.
    3.10, the Gaziantep office of the monthly Newroz was raided by police and two persons inside, Sait Yildirim and Halil Türkmen were taken into custody.
    4.10, in Adana, about 300 people were detained by police for having take part in a picnic organized by the monthly review Devrimci Proletarya.
    5.10, the October issues of two periodicals, Newroz Atesi and Imza, were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    6.10, the issue N° 20 of the Islamist review Taraf was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    6.10, a new book published by the Yurt Yayinlari and entitled The Ismail Besikci Cases 5 was confiscated by a penal court of Ankara.
    7.10, the Istanbul SSC Prosecutor opened two legal proceedings against Kurdish publisher Recep Marasli. He faces a total of 10 years in prison for having published a book entitled Political Defence, comprising of documents about his trial after the 1980 Coup on the one hand, and on the other, for his speech at a meeting organized by the Human Rights' Association on March 1992.
    7.10, the recent issues of four periodicals, Partizan, Newroz, Devrimci Yurtsever Genclik and Mücadele, were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC.
    7.10, the Istanbul office of the monthly Hedef was raided and searched by the police. After the operation, the review's chief editor Asli Günes and six other people inside were taken into custody.
    8.10, two journalists of the monthly Iscilerin Sesi were condemned by the Istanbul SSC according to the Anti-Terror Law. Chief editor Günnur Ilhan was sentenced to 20-month imprisonment and a fine of 41 million TL (5.125 Dollars), publisher Cetin Uygur to a fine of 835 million TL (10.438 Dollars). Besides, the October issue of the same review was confiscated by the same court.
    8.10, in Istanbul, police raided the house of Özgür Gündem correspondent Mehmet Aktas by breaking down the door and detained the journalist together with his sister and two brothers. After being released, Aktas said to be tortured during his interrogation.
    11.10, five issues of the daily Özgür Gündem of October of from October 7 were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for containing a series of  interviews with PKK leader Öcalan..
    12.10,  the responsible editor of the monthly Deng, Kamil Ermis was sentenced by the Istanbul SSC to 5 months in prison and a fine of 41 Million TL (5.125 Dollars). The owner of the review, Hikmet Cetin too was sentenced to a fine of 92 Million TL (10.250 Dollars) by virtue of the Anti-Terror Law.
    13.10, the October issue of the monthly Toplumsal Kurtulus was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda. An Islamist monthly review, Ak-Zuhur too was confiscated on same accusation.
    13.10, in Agri, three correspondents of the weekly Azadi, Mustafa Isik, Cengiz Taskin and Fatih Yalvac were detained by police.
    14.10, the issue N° 15 of the weekly Mücadele was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    14.10, the Diyarbakir correspondent of the weekly 2000e Dogru, Ahmet Sümbül was taken into custody together with his brother Mehmet Sümbül for having in his possession a fire-arm. Under the menace of death, he had asked many times an authorization of carrying a fire-arm, but all demands remained without answer.
    15.10, journalist Zekeriya Özdinc, owner and chief editor of the monthly Barikat, was sentenced, in two different trials, to 10-month imprisonment and a fine of 1,024 Million LT (128,000 US Dollars) in total for separatist propaganda.
    15.10, the Batman correspondent of the daily Özgür Gündem, Hayrettin Celik, and his 4-month pregnant wife Sebahat Celik were detained by police.
    19.10, the recent issues of the weeklies Yeni Ülke and Gercek and the fortnightly Medya Günesi were confiscated by the decision of the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    20.10, author Edip Polat was indicted by the Ankara SSC Prosecutor for his last book entitled The Kurds and Kurdistan in Scientific Language - A reply from Biology to the Official Ideology. Polat faces, by virtue of the Anti-Terror Law, a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to 50 Million TL (6,250 Dollars). The publisher of the book, Vedat Yeniceri, and Dr. Ismail Besikci who wrote a preface for the book too will be tried together with the author.
    20.10, the issue N° 24 of the monthly Özgür Halk was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    20.10, three local correspondents of the political review Mücadele, Devrim Demir in Izmir, Enver Inan in Kars and Ahmet Kiral in Elbistan, were reportedly detained by police.
    25.10, it is reported that 54 of 75 issues of the fortnightly Emegin Bayragi  published for five years had been confiscated for different pretexts. The number of the seized copies rises to 300 thousand. Besides, 23 members of the review's editorial board have been taken into custody for varying periods.
    26.10, the issue N° 5 of the monthly Iscinin Yolu was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    27.10, in Istanbul, four journalists from the daily Meydan, Sinan Doker, Ergun Güven, Bekir Sen and Eyüp Karasakal, were beaten and wounded by policemen as they were covering a fire incident:
    27.10, the issue N°16 of the weekly Mücadele was confiscated by for containing an interview with some Dev-Sol officials.
    28.10, the Cizre correspondent of the daily Sabah, Ramazan Imrag was indicted for having shot and distributed a photo in which a military armoured car is seen pulling the body of a killed Kurdish militant. The journalist is accused of having insulted the State and security forces by distributing such a photo according to Article 159 of the Turkish Penal Code.
    28.10, the October 27-28 issues of the daily Özgür Gündem were confiscated for separatist propaganda.
    28.10, the Kars correspondent of the daily Özgür Gündem, Birkan Celik was taken into custody by police.
    29.10, a correspondent of the daily Türkiye, Metin Akyürek was beaten by police as he was covering some incidents during the Day of the Republic celebrations in Korgan (Ordu).
    29.10, the Trabzon correspondent of the weekly Mücadele, Nihat Aslantürk was taken into custody by a police team raiding his house.
    31.10, the daily Özgür Gündem was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for an interview with the PKK leader Öcalan.
    2.11, the Eskisehir correspondent of the weekly Mücadele, Fatma Dagli was detained by police.
    3.11, the issues N° 15 of the fortnightlies Medya Günesi and Devrimci Emek were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    4.11,the issue N° 4 of the monthly Genclik ve Gelecek was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    5.11, the weekly Mücadele's correspondents Rifat Özgüngör and Sevinc Kaymak were detained in Sivas.
    6.11, Turkey, along with other 14 countries, refused to sign an agreement on protecting and promoting minority and regional languages at the Council of Europe.
    7.11,  the issue N° 77 of the fortnightly Emegin Bayragi was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda. Besides, the review's correspondent  Naci Uzun and his wife, Hülya Uzun, were detained in Istanbul.
    9.11, the Istanbul SSC Prosecutor indicted two journalists of the weekly Azadi, responsible editor Sedat Karakas and columnist Salih Özcelik, by virtue of Article 159 of the TPC. Both face a prison term of up to five years.
    10.11, the issue 26 of the weekly Azadi was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    11.11, the issue N°19 of the weekly Mücadele was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for propaganda in favour of an illegal organization.
    13.11, the daily Özgür Gündem's two issues, of November 10-11, were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for contravening the Anti-Terror Law. It is reported that the distribution of the daily has been interrupted in Diyarbakir because of the menaces to the distributor.
    13.11, the Samsun office of the weekly Mücadele was raided by police and many documents inside confiscated. The review's Samsun representative Pervin Tuggan was taken into custody.
    13.11, the Islamist review Taraf announced to stop its publication because of increasing pressures. Just after this declaration, police detained the review's editor, Kazim Albayrak, and columnist Ünsal Zor.
    15.11, Prime Minister Demirel, on a question about the recent confiscation of books, said: "You cannot say that a book is never a means of crime. Separatism, Kurdish racism, Kurdish separatism are crimes in our country. There are other interdictions by virtue of Article 14 of the Constitution. Police has to execute the orders given by tribunals."
    15.11, the Kurdish Institute in Istanbul was raided by police on the Istanbul SSC's order. A number of books,publications, films, photos and computer disks were confiscated and five persons inside were detained.
    16.11, the issue N°7 of the monthly Newroz Atesi was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    16.11, the Tunceli correspondent of the daily Özgür Gündem, Ali Dogan was taken into custody. .
    17.11, the recent issues of the weekly Azadi and  and the monthly Devrim were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC by virtue of the Anti-Terror Law.
    18.11, the responsible editor of the monthly Kurtulus, Cemil Turan was sentenced by the Istanbul SSC to a 6-month prison and a fine of 50 Million TL (6,250 Dollars) for the articles in the review's five special editions. By virtue of the Anti-Terror Law, the review's owner Irfan Cüre too was sentenced to a fine of 100 Million TL 12,500 Dollars).
    18.11, the Izmir representative of the monthly Özgür Halk, Mehmet Bayraktar was sentenced to a fine of 300,000 TL (375 Dollars) for keeping some banned publications in the office.
    18.11, the Malatya correspondent of the daily Özgür Gündem, Mahmut Dogan was arrested by the Malatya SSC for praising the acts considered crime by the law.
    21.11, in Batman, the driver of the daily Özgür Gündem, Halil Adanir (32) was assassinated by unidentified people. He had received a number of threats for ceasing to distribute the newspaper.
    22.11, the recent issues of the fortnightly Emegin Bayragi and the monthly Devrimci Proletarya were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    23.11, a German television reporter, Michael Wilhelm Erger, and his Turkish translator, Yavuz Fersoglu, were briefly detained by the police at the Harbour border gate with Iraq, for behaving suspiciously.
    24.11, in Istanbul, police raiding the weekly Gercek's office, detained four persons inside.
    25.11, the issue N°14 of the monthly Kurtulus was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for an anti-militarist article.
    25.11, the Ankara SSC imposed a fine of 100 Million TL (12,500 Dollars) for writer Mehmet Bayrak in connection with his book My Memoirs on Dersim and the Kurdish National Question.
    26.11, the recent issues of the weekly Azadi, Toplumsal Kurtulus and Medya Günesi were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC by virtue of the  Anti-Terror Law.
    26.11, in Istanbul, a police team raiding Fikirtepe campus seized 200 books and detained eleven students.
    28.11, the Ankara prosecutor opened a legal proceeding against the Yurt Publishing House for its book entitled The Occupation of the Bosporus. Accused of inciting the people to crime, publisher Ünsal Öztürk was interrogated.
    30.11, in Diyarbakir, 87 newspapers sellers, holding a press conference, announced that they were being threatened for ceasing to sell left-wing publications such as Özgür Gündem, 2000e Dogru, Yeni Ülke, Azadi and Gercek.
    30.11, the Istanbul SSC Prosecutor indicted two journalists of the daily Özgür Gündem, owner Yasar Kaya and editor Selcuk Gür, for carrying out separatist propaganda and demanded five years imprisonment and a fine of 100 million TL (12,500$) for each. On the other hand, the November 24 issue of the same daily was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC.
    1.12, the issue N°29 of the weekly Azadi was confiscated for having reported a meeting held in Köln against compulsory military service.
    1.12, the Istanbul SSC launched a court case against Melsa publications owner Murat Ilyas Burak for violating the Anti-Terror Law with a book titled The Little Peshmerga.
    2.12, the issue N°3 of the monthly Halkin Gücü was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    2.12, two consecutive issues of the daily Özgür Gündem were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda. Up to now, 28 out 187 issues have been the object of confiscation.
    3.12, the editor of the fortnightly Emegin Bayragi, Nazim Taban was sentenced by the Istanbul SSC to 5-month prison and a fine of 100 Million TL (12,500 Dollars)  by virtue of the Anti-Terror Law. Taban had earlier been sentenced to 18-month prison and a fine of 123 Million TL (15,375 Dollars) in three other cases.
    3.12, the November issue of the monthly Penthouse was confiscated.
    5.12, during a protest rally organized by the unions of public servants in Istanbul, police detained 60 people and wounded by beating two journalists covering the incident: Erkan Avcilar from Milliyet and Nezahat Alkan from Sabah.
    7.12, the issue N°30 of the weekly Azadi,  N°4 of the monthly Genc Kurtulus and N°23 of the weekly Mücadele were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC.
    7.12, the Istanbul SSC sentenced journalist Hüseyin Durmaz, owner and editor of the monthly Devrimci Emek to a prison term of 5 months and 15 days as well as a fine of 83 Million TL (10.375 Dollars) by virtue of the Anti-Terror Law. The SSC prosecutor opened another court case against Durmaz and Ugur Gündüz, author an article about class struggles in Turkey.
    9.12, the issue N°4 of the monthly bulletin by the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DISK) Research Institute was banned by the same confederation's executive for containing a map indicating Kurdish areas in Turkey.
    11.12, Özgür Gündem correspondent Irfan Ucar and Türkiye correspondent Ferhat Gülver were detained as they were covering the incidents during the trial of TIKKO defendants at the Istanbul SSC.
    12.12,the last issues of the fortnightly Emegin Bayragi and the monthly Partizan were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC.
    12.12, a new book containing the texts of the International Conference on the Kurdish Question, held in 1989 in Paris, was confiscated.
    13.12, the issue N°12 of the monthly Newroz was confiscated for separatist propaganda.
    14.12, the publisher of the monthly Deng, Hikmet Cetin was sentenced by the Istanbul SSC to 16-month imprisonment and a fine of 41 Million TL (5,125 Dollars) for a speech he delivered on January 10, 1992 in Izmir.
    15.12, a newspaper kiosk owner in Diyarbakir, Kemal Ekinci, was shot dead by unidentified persons. He had been threatened to stop selling left-wing publications.
    15.12, the daily Özgür Gündem dated December 11 was confiscated  by the Istanbul SSC.
    18.12, the issue N°17 of the monthly Odak was confiscated by the SSC for anti-militarist propaganda.
    22.12, the issue N°32 of the weekly Azadi was confiscated by the SSC for a report on hunger-strikes in prisons.
    23.12, the recent issues of the weekly Yeni Ülke and the monthlies Emegin Bayragi, Yeni Demokrat Genclik and Newroz Atesi were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC.
    25.12, journalist and writer Prof. Yalcin Kücük was taken into custody at Istanbul Airport when he returned to Turkey from Damascus. All of the notes, photographs and video bands on which were registered his a week-long interview with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan were confiscated.
    25.12, the recent issue of the monthly Özgür Halk was confiscated by the Istanbul SSC.
    27.12, the International Federation of Journalists (FIJ) claims in its 1992 report that Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina are the world's two most dangerous countries for journalists.
    28.12, the recent issues of the weeklies Yeni Ülke , Azadi and Mücadele were confiscated by the Istanbul SSC for separatist propaganda.
    31.12, a distributor of the daily Özgür Gündem, Lokman Gündüz (20) was assassinated by unidentified people. In Istanbul, the December 30 issue of this daily was confiscated by the SSC.

A FINE OF $222,250 FOR A BOOK

    A new record of fine to the press was registered on December 24 in Turkey by a total sum of 222,250 US Dollars.
    Author Edip Polat was sentenced by the Ankara SSC to two years in prison and  a fine of 50 Million TL (6,250 Dollars) for his book titled We Turned The Dawns into Newroz on the grounds that the book was “making separatist propaganda.”
    At the same trial, Hikmet Kocak, owner of the Basak Publishing House and publisher of the book, too was fined 1,728,000,000 TL (216,000 Dollars).

“BASIC INSTINCT” REPRESSED

    Screening of Dutch director Verhoeven’s film Basic Instinct has been banned in Turkey by a series of legal proceedings launched by Ankara and Istanbul public prosecutors.  The judicial actions are based on a report given by the notorious Censorship Board which directly depends on the Prime Minister’s cabinet.
    Soon after the first screening of the film in Turkey, a group of Welfare Party (RP) deputies, Islamic fundamentalists, had filed a complaint against Basic Instinct at the Ankara public prosecutor’s office, claiming that it would produce corrupting effects on Turkish society and should therefore be banned. Thereupon, the Censorship Board delivered a report in this sense, and it was followed by public prosecutors.
    Ankara Prosecutor Hayri Tayhan said on December 23 that the movie owners who screen the film will be given a fine of at least TL 20 million. If they fail to pay the fine, the amount may be increased to TL 50 million with a court decision. Those who fail to pay that amount may be given a prison sentence, according to the prosecutor.
   
THE ARMY ASKED SUIT AGAINST TV

    The Chief of General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, General Dogan Güres asked, on November 19, the Ministry of Justice to launch a legal proceeding against journalist Mehmet Ali Birand for an interview that he had made with Kurdish Guerrilla Chief Osman Öcalan, the brother of the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, broadcasted on November 16 by a private TV.
    At this interview, Öcalan refuted the Turkish Army's claims as regards PKK losses during the last anti-PKK Operation in Iraq.
    Güres saying “They did not meet him or interview him. The film was prepared with cuts from earlier appearances,” complained that the program gave the impression that the PKK did not suffer any losses during the recent Turkish military operation against the PKK camps in northern Iraq.
    However, just after this intervention, Birant presented to the press the originals of the films shot by his TV-team at the interview with Osman Öcalan and proved that General Güres was misled by his intelligence services.

A GERMAN REPORTER ARRESTED

    A German free-lance journalist, Stefan Waldberg, was taken into custody on October 21 at Habur border gate as entering Turkey after a 25-day mission in Iraq. The custom authorities claimed that he was trying to introduce to Turkey some propaganda material in favour of the PKK.
    After his one-week interrogation at Silopi, Waldberg was placed under arrest on October 29 for being tried at the Diyarbakir SSC.
    The court began to hear the case filed against Waldberg on December 4.  Accused of acting as a courier for the PKK and facing a prison term of up to five years, Waldberg refused the accusation and said: “I have come to Turkey to do general research and broadcast it on Radio Dreyeckland. I do not know PKK people in Germany.  In Northern Iraq, my purpose was to search whether the aid given by various organizations are used on the spot or not.”

ILO AGREEMENT VETOED BY ÖZAL

    Although the Turkish Parliament adopted seven ILO agreements on November 25, one of the agreements, Article 158 was vetoed by President Turgut Özal on grounds that Turkish businessmen could not afford it. The 158th Article of the ILO regulates employees rights regarding the termination of their employment contracts, and guarantees their right to apply to courts.
    Labour Minister Mehmet Mogultay denounced the veto as an action “against the will of the nation.”, while the Turkish Employer Unions Confederation (TISK) welcomed it.

ON THE NEO-NAZI TERROR AGAINST TURKS

    The citizens of Turkey are not only the victim of the repression carried out by the State in the country, but also the main target of the extreme right terror in European countries, mainly in Germany.
    Three Turks, a 10-year-old girl and two women aged 51 and 20, died when two houses set on fire by Neo-Nazis went up in flames in the city of Moelln, near Hamburg,  on November 23, 1992.
    The murder has given rise to a European-wide reaction against the extreme-right danger in Germany. Thousands of Germans, hand in hand with foreigners, carried out mass demonstrations and expressed their determination not to give way to Neo-Nazism. German authorities too have been obliged to deliver speeches condemning the racist attacks and promising measures for protecting the minority in the countries.
    In fact, the extreme-right attacks on foreigners or their houses, shops and mosques in Germany as well as in other European countries such as France, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Switzerland had started ten years ago. But no serious measure has been taken up to this recent murder for stopping the rise of the racist and xenophobe acts. Only this year, right-wing extremists in Germany have carried out 1,900 attacks on foreigners, during which 17 people have been killed and 452 injured.
    In a written message on a wreath laid at the German Embassy in Ankara after the incident,  Turkish journalists recalled another racist attack on a Turkish family in December 1988, during which four people, including one German, were killed, and said: “If the German authorities had not remained silent then, Vahide Arslan, Yeliz Arslan and Ayse Yilmaz [the three victims who died in the attack] would still be alive today.”
    In the daily Sabah of November 25, Mehmet Altan said: “The German Neo-Nazi movement seems rather like a state-supported scare campaign to accelerate forcefully the return home of two million Turks. The failure to apprehend members of the Neo-Nazi gangs, the way those apprehended are released so quickly, the claims that these gangs include certain government officials and the failure to isolate these groups despite high technology, all raise certain doubts. It looks as if the Germans have staged a dirty play to oblige the Turkish population in the country to leave.”
    As the anti-racist protests and demonstrations were growing,  Turkish authorities and nationalist circles have done their best in order to present the incident as a fresh proof of their claim that Turkish nation is threatened everywhere by enemies. While all other ethnic minorities, including  the Kurds and Anatolian Christians who constitute a third of the Turkish population in Europe, too were exposed to Neo-Nazi attacks, the anti-racist demonstrations after the Moelln drama were echoed by the Turkish media as a gesture of excuse towards the Turkish nation only.
    What is more, Turkish authorities attempted to exploit this event for discrediting the European criticism towards the violation of human rights in Turkey. For example, Turkish Premier Demirel said: “Those who make the sparks fly and protest every small incident in Turkey, should look at themselves first.”
    And a few days later, on its December 17 issue, the Turkish Daily News reported the following:
    “In areas such as Antalya, Alanya, Bodrum and Izmir [in Western Turkey], winter construction work depends almost completely on labor of Kurdish origin.  Two weeks ago, tens of Kurdish origin citizens boarded passenger busses and abandoned Antalya in fear of a Turkish attack against them. In Alanya, Side and Antalya, house owners now refuse point to blank to rent flats or homes to people from the southeast. At least 3,000 Kurdish origin people living there faced the threat of starvation because shop owners are refusing to sell goods and their bosses are refusing to employ them any longer.”
    It is under the influence of this atmosphere of xenophobia and racism reigning in their own country that, during the anti-Nazi demonstrations in Germany,  some groups marching under Turkish flags attacked Kurdish immigrants.