Death Under Custody Confirmed

Bones unearthed after confessions of former paramilitary JITEM member Aygan belongs to Murat Aslan, lost during custody 10 years ago. The IHD and the Diyarbakir Bar Association called on the prosecutors to take immediate action.

Diyarbakır

The Diyarbakir branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and the Diyarbakir Bar Association are pursuing legal action against about 30 people who had responsibility or negligence in the death of Murat Aslan.

Aslan was kidnapped and killed 10 years ago.

In a recent press conference, Selahattin Demirtas, head of the IHD Diyarbakir branch and Lawyer M. Sezgin Tanrikulu, head of the Diyarbakir Bar Association, said that, for the first time in Turkey, unearthed bones were proved to belong to a missing person through DNA tests.

Aslan's father, Izzettin Aslan, found his missing son where he was buried through the confessions of JITEM member Abdulkadir Aygan.

Aygan's confessions were published in the "Ulkede Ozgur Gundem" (Free Agenda in the Country) newspaper on March 11, 2004. Father Aslan was also present at the press conference.

"As the IHD Diyarbakir branch and the Diyarbakir Bar Association, we will pursue legal action against all the officials mentioned in the confessions of Abdulkadir Aygan.

JITEM members kidnapped him

Murat Aslan was born in 1969. Ten years ago, he was forced into a white Renault while he was walking in the Yenisehir district of Diyarbakir with two other friends.

He was taken to a mountain in Silopi where he was shot in his head and then burned. His body was found 15 centimeters below ground.

Murat's father Izzettin Aslan applied to every state and government offices or departments he could think of after his son was kidnapped, but could not get any information until March 11, 2004. The confessions of Abdulkadir Aygan were published that day in the Ulkede Ozgur Gundem newspaper.

According to the newspaper, Murat Aslan was kidnapped by JITEM members among whom was Abdulkerim Kirca, the Commander of the Paramilitary Police Intelligence Team. He was taken to the Diyarbakir JITEM, questioned, and then taken to the Silopi JITEM Intelligence Commandership.

After being tortured and questioned there, he was taken to near the Kortuk Village, where they poured gasoline on him and burned him to death.

After reading the newspaper, father Izzettin Aslan went to the Kortuk Village. Villagers told Izzettin Aslan that such an incident took place 10 years ago.

They said a shepherd witnessed the killing and went to the area a couple of days later to bury the burnt body. The shepherd also marked the grave with white stones. The villagers also told the father that the identity of the body wasn't known and the grave was accepted as a shrine in the region.

DNA tests proved the identity

After reaching these information, Izzettin Aslan applied to the IHD Diyarbakir branch.

* A group, formed with the help of IHD and the Diyarbakir Bar, together with the Silopi prosecutor, doctors and paramilitary police officials, found a human skeleton 15 centimeters below ground.

* Father Izzettin Aslan recognized his son's body from the chin and teeth structure.

* The bones were sent to the Istanbul Forensic Medical Institution for DNA tests. The DNA from the bones was compared with the DNA from the parents. The Forensic Medical Institution, in its September 9, 2004 report confirmed that the bones belonged to Murat Aslan.

Lawyers will demand that the inquisition be in line with UN Principles

Lawyers Tanrikulu and Demirtas said they will also demand that, through the inquisition, the "United Nations Economic and Social Committee's Principles on the Prevention and Investigation of All Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions," are put into use.

"All those responsible of such past incidents should be revealed and tried so that a high-standard democracy can work in the country," said Tanrikulu and Demirtas.

Following is a list of some of the 30 people who were in responsible positions ten years ago, against whom the IHD Diyarbakir branch and Diyarbakir Bar are seeking legal action:

Governor Hayri Kozakcioglu of the emergency rule, Lieutenant General Hikmet Koksal of the Paramilitary Police Corps, Commander Ismet Yediyildiz of the Diyarbakir Provincial Regiment, Commander Cemal Temizoz of the Cizre District Paramilitary Police, Abdulhakim Guven, Savas Gevrekci, Cemil Isik, Ali Ozansoy, Mustafa Deniz, Zeki Batuhan, Erdal Salincak, Selahattin Gorgulu, Ibrahim Babat, Abdulkerim Kirca, Adil Timurtas, Fethi Cetin, Murat Kirikkaya, Aytekin Ozen, Kurtulus On, Huseyin Tilki, Hanim eyaz, Yukse Ugur, Abdulkadir Ugur, Kemal Emluk, Nuri Ates, Tuna Yanardag, Cindi Acet (Acut) ve Abdulkadir Aygan. (YS/BB/EA/YE)