57 Children Still Under Arrest in Diyarbakir
As there is no child detention centre in Diyarbakir, the children are being held at the same place as adults at the Diyarbakir E-Type Prison.
"Final Initiative to End All Forms of Violence Against Children"
Meanwhile, organizations working in the field of children's rights which started action after the incidents that claimed the lives of a number of children in Diyarbakir and other provinces in the region, launched the "Final Initiative to End All Forms of Violence Against Children" to immediately end any and all forms of violence against children.
The initiative is to visit the Minister of Justice, the Foreign Minister and the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Human Rights Commission to submit a fact file on violations of children's rights while appealing for violations to be stopped immediately.
The initiative will also issue a press statement on 10 April Monday appealing for the violations to end immediately. Children's rights organizations wishing to support the initiative can contact the [email protected] address until 11:00 am Monday.
The Initiative to End All Forms of Violence Against Children is planning to visit Diyarbakir in the coming days.
"Torture and mistreatment under detention"
Of the 199 children detained on allegations of being involved in the incidents that started during funerals held for PKK militants in Diyarbakir, resulting with the death of 10 people including 5 children, 91 were placed under arrest last week.
The Diyarbakir Bar Association Children's Rights Centre had stated "95 percent of the children placed under custody were subject to torture and mistreatment."
As result of an appeal lodged against the arrest decision by the Children's Rights Centre, 2 children were released on the morning of 6 April Thursday and 32 more at 17:00 hours the same day.
All rights of the children were violated
Children's rights advocates point out that while children in need of protection aged 12-15 and 15-18 should be placed under immediate protection for their suffering from psychological trauma due to uncontrolled acts of violence that have taken place at the time of their leaving school or work, their being subjected to physical violence, placed under custody in violation of law, subjected to the crime of torture while under custody, their being transferred for interrogation and arrested on charges of "violating the integrity of the state and sovereignty of the country" is unacceptable.
Rights advocates stating that the rights of the children stemming from international and national law is being violated note, "without even taking under consideration if the physical-moral elements of allegations against them have been established and disregarding the arrangements made with the purpose of protection, the arrests are unjust and violate the law."
Children incited resentment and hostility!
Allegations made against the children are as follows:
* Aiding and abetting the terrorist PKK organization,
* Inciting and provoking the people to rebellion, resentment and hostility,
* Conducting attacks on security forces with arms, firebombs, knives, stones, sticks,
* Inciting the people to looting,
* Conducting stone, stick, firebomb attacks on public establishments and institutions, political party buildings, public housing, official patrol vehicles, police panzers, business places kept open,
* Setting fire to banks after occupying them by force,
* Violating Act 2911 on Meetings and Demonstration Marches. (KO/II/YE)