Diyarbakir: Investigation on 31 Torture Cases

Diyarbakir Bar Association Chairman Sezgin Tanrıkulu said the Prosecutor's Office had launched investigations into 31 separate claims of torture under detention related to suspects placed under custody during the March 28-April 1 incidents that swept through the province.

Tanrıkulu told Bianet that over 400 suspects who appeared before prosecutors after detention had filed complaints of torture and mistreatment during their custody and added it was positive for investigations to have begun "even if partial".

The city Bar Association last week applied to the Diyarbakir Governor's Office requesting administrative investigations into 72 separate torture under custody claims.

"Over the past three years almost everyone detained has stated that they were tortured or mistreated. Investigations related to these should have been started both under national law and according to international conventions. But the prosecutors were not starting these investigations" Tanrikulu explained.

He said, however, that they were not aware of any development on the investigation related to the death of 10 people as result of security forces opening fire during the recent incidents.

"Because there have been deaths and autopsy reports have been prepared, the investigation process related to these incidents has naturally started. But there is still no information on the result of these investigations" he said. (TK/II/YE)