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Wed, 19. Jul 2006
Acting on allegations supported by photographs that Iranian PKK militant
Emani was executed by security forces after being captured alive, 23
organizations file formal criminal complaint demanding an investigation into
the death.
Acting on claims supported by photographical evidence that an alleged PKK
militant of Iranian origin identified as Abbas Emani was killed by security
forces after being captured alive in eastern Turkish province of Batman last
year, 23 organizations including political parties have filed a formal
criminal complaint with the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's office.
The organizations, including Turkey's Human Rights Association (IHD)
Istanbul branch, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), Labour
Party (EMEP), Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), the Peace Mothers Initiative
and the 78's initiative are demanding an investigation into Emani's
controversial death and those responsible for it to be brought before
justice.
The complaint filed on Tuesday to be sent to the Besiri Public Prosecutor's
Office refers to a pro-Kurdish Ulkede Ozgur Gundem newspaper report on June
28 saying that Emani was captured alive by security forces in an August 25,
2005, operation in the Besiri district of Batman after which he was
interrogated by security forces and executed.
The newspaper published photographs of what it claimed was Emani being
escorted by security forces after his capture, showing a person lying under
a vehicle afterwards and finally a burned body. Gundem claimed he was
tortured, shot in the head, then dragged to the 'operation zone' where his
body was set on fire. The report and photographs of the incident were
published on the front page of the newspaper.
Tuesday's complaint demands a criminal investigation to be launched on
grounds of "deliberate and planned murder, inflicting damage to a dead body
and torture".
Erbas: Those responsible should be punished
Speaking on behalf of "Ulkede Ozgur Gundem" newspaper that carried the
original claim, DTP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Dogan Erbas called for
those responsible for Emani's treatment and death to be apprehended and
punished.
Poet Sennur Sezer said with regard to the incident, "If it has come to the
point that the security forces of a state can threaten the lives of citizens
of that state, it is not possible to speak of democracy in that country".
IHD: Everyone has the right to life
Immediately after the allegations surfaced last month, the Human Rights
Association (IHD) issued a statement on the incident stressing that the
claim directly related to the right to life and an individual's right of not
being tortured but given an impartial trial.
Despite IHD's appeal for authorities to "immediately act to investigate the
claim in an effective manner" no known investigation was launched.
"The identity of the person killed or whether or not he committed an offence
does not matter in opening such an investigation immediately and putting
those responsible on trial" the statement said.
"Everyone without exception benefits from the principle of the state of law
and human rights".
The Association said public officers who act in violation of the law and
violate human rights should be put on trial regardless of their title and
rank while being immediately stripped of their authority.
"Even in the war era Turkey has removed the death sentence from its laws. In
a country where execution is forbidden even as result of trial, there can be
no excuse for torture and extrajudicial execution" the IHD statement said,
recalling that the first part of the Constitution itself banned any official
or establishment of the state from acting outside of the law.