From:    William Bowles
Subject: TURKEY: Abuse of the Rights of Women

10:22 pm  Sep 12, 1991
Source: Peacenet
(Fido:250/222) igc:aicoord
Conf:ai.general
Lawyers: Turkey

FETHIYE PEKSEN

The People's Legal Aid Bureau (Halkin Hukuk Burosu) was raided by
the police, reportedly on the orders of the Public Prosecutor. Two
lawyers were reportedly dragged into the police van while being
beaten. The raid was the first in a series of recent attacks on
lawyers in Turkey.

The lawyers are being held in connection with an investigation
into the activities of Dev Sol (Revolutionary Left), an illegal
organization. The reports indicate that the lawyers are subjected
to brutal torture. One of the lawyers recently released was
Cavidan Kocaacar. Upon her release, she shouted at the police
officers: "Tell them the torture you have inflicted, the scenarios
you have invented."

On July 3, the lawyer Fethiye Peksen was detained in Istanbul,
reportedly on the instructions of the Prosecutor's Office at
Ankara State Security Court. Fethiye Peksen was then transferred
to Ankara, where she is held incommunicado at the Ankara Police
Headquarters.

According to the Turkish Human Rights Association, released
detainees have reported that the lawyer Fethiye Peksen, who has
been in detention in Ankara Police Headquarters since July 5, is
being subjected to intensive torture. In addition, she is said to
be prevented from sleeping and is completely exhausted.

Background Information:

All information available to Amnesty International indicates that
torture is still systematic and widespread in Turkey. Allegations
of torture have continued since the transfer of power to a
civilian government in 1983. Most allegations relate to
ill-treatment of detainees in police custody during their initial
interrogation where they are usually denied access to relatives or
a lawyer. Under current legislation the maximum detention period
before being formally charged or released in 24 hours; in cases
involving three of more suspects or due to the 'nature of the
crime' it may be extended to 15 days. This period may be extended
to 30 days in areas under emergency legislation or martial law.
Emergency legislation is currently in force in ten provinces in
the southeast.

Action Request:

Write courteously worded telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and
airmail letters;
-urging that Fethiye Peksen is given immediate access to her
family and lawyer and that she is not ill-treated while in
detention;
-requesting to be informed of any charges against her;
-appealing that a thorough and independent investigation is
initiated into the allegations of torture and requesting to be
informed of its methods and findings.

Appeals to:

President Turgut Ozal, Devlet Baskanligi, 06100 Ankara, Turkey

faxes: 011 90 4 168 5012 telegrams: President Ozal: Ankara,
Turkey

Ankara Chief of Police Hasan Ozdemir, Ankara Emniyet Muduru,
Konya-Samsun Karayolu, Ankara, Turkey

faxes: 011 90 4 342 22 27 telegrams: Emniyet Muduru, Ankara,
Turkey

Minister of Justice Sakir Seker, Adalet Bakanligi, 06659 Ankara,
Turkey

faxes: 011 90 41 25 40 66 telegrams: Adalet Bakanligi, Ankara,
Turkey

Copies to:

Ambassador Nuzhet Kandemir, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey,
1714 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036