Rights Activists Call for Torture to Be Punished

Representatives of the Turkey Human Rights Foundation (TİHV), the Human Rights Association (İHD) and the Contemporary Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) in the western city of Izmir organised a shared press statement for 26 June, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Legislative amendments

They called on the government to put an end to torture, saying that legal amendments since 2005 have resulted in an increase in cases of maltreatment and torture, singling out the Law on Police Duties and Powers.

Since changes were made in that law, so the organisations, "there has been a serious increase in the number and gravity of torture and maltreatment cases in police and gendarmerie stations, in open spaces and streets, during demonstrations and marches."

The treatment and rehabilitation centre of TİHV had 337 applications of people who had experienced torture or maltreatment in 226. This number rose to 452 in 2007. In 2008, there were 425 applications. In the first five months of 2009, there have been 2009 reported cases.

Impunity

According to the annual report on human rights violations compiled by İHD, the number of torture and maltreatment cases in 2007 was 687, and rose to 1,546 in 2008. Of the latter cases, 448 took place in detention, and 333 in prison.

Rights activists say that recent cases of torture and maltreatment are not aimed at finding out information, but at threatening. The violence is systematic, and this is mostly due to the impunity which the perpetrators enjoy.

26 June

The general assembly of the United Nations accepted the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 1987. In 1997, the date of 26 June, which marks the day the convention was passed, was accepted as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. (EÜ/AG)