Human rights report shows increasing torture against Kurds, LGBTI+s

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV/HRFT) has released its 2023 report from its Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers, revealing a significant number of torture and ill-treatment cases. Since its inception in 1990, the foundation has received a total of 21,894 applications, with 7,548 of these occurring since 2014. In the past year alone, 781 individuals sought help from the foundation.

In the last year, 739 individuals from Ankara, Diyarbakır, İstanbul, İzmir, Van, and Cizre personally reported experiencing torture or ill-treatment, while 42 others reported on behalf of relatives. Of these, 731 cases occurred within Turkey, and eight were reported from outside the country.

The report indicates that 72.2% of the incidents reported in 2023 happened within that year, while the remaining cases occurred in previous years. The data shows that seven out of ten applicants experienced torture or ill-treatment in the past year, and at least nine out of ten within the last six years. Tragically, six individuals died in custody as a result of torture in 2023

A significant portion of the victims were women and members of the LGBTI+ community. Specifically, 240 identified as female, 428 as male, and 63 as non-binary/queer. The distribution of reports across months highlighted a spike in June and July, correlating with increased police interventions during Pride Week events

The age of applicants ranged from as young as 7 to 77, with nearly half of them between 19 and 35 years old.

The report notes a concerning rise in unofficial detentions, with 598 applicants stating they were officially detained, while 133 reported their detentions were unofficial and unrecorded. This trend is linked to police interventions during public demonstrations and press statements, described as the "changing face of torture.

İstanbul saw the highest number of applications with 251 cases, followed by İzmir with 172, and Van with 161. Despite a nearly four-month service disruption due to the February 2023 earthquakes, the Diyarbakır office received 125 applications. Cizre and Ankara received 40 and 32 applications, respectively

The İstanbul Police Department was identified as the leading location for reported torture incidents, followed by Diyarbakır, Ankara, and Van police departments.

The report underscores that Kurdish individuals are disproportionately affected by torture. Analysis of birthplaces and native languages of applicants indicates that those of Kurdish ethnicity face higher rates of torture compared to other ethnic groups, a trend that persisted through 2023. (RT/VK)