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PREFACE
One more annual human rights report by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey is being made public. This report, dealing with the human rights abuses observed in 1994 (*), was prepared by the Documentation Center of the HRFT. With the aim of informing and warning the public at home and abroad, as well as authorities, about human rights abuses, and enabling them to reach their own conclusions, we produced this report.
For this report, we assessed the news received from our own sources, newspapers, journals and other publications, evaluated HRFT’s daily reports, the information given by the Human Rights Association Headquarters and branches, and other human rights activists, as well as official statements and speeches of authorities at every level. Since we are an independent non-governmental organization defending human rights, the abuses originating from the structure and the characteristics of the regime that are caused by anti-democratic provisions of the Constitution and laws, or by the political power or public officers, are given priority. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the dimensions and extent of the violence in Turkey and its present situation, the acts and attacks carried out by certain armed groups, particularly by the PKK, were also assessed and included in the report.
While preparing the report, we were extremely careful about the accuracy of information and the trustworthiness of the sources, and we tried to present the events objectively. Many reports which were obtained from just a single source, but could not be confirmed or were not reliable and deemed to be exaggerated, were not included in the report. During the preliminary studies, we behaved objectively and without any prejudice, in most cases we applied to many sources and examined some cases in depth, causing a delay in the preparation of the report. We hope that any individual, organization, authoritative body or any circle that will read out our report will assess it without any prejudice and be objective in a similar way.
This human rights report includes 8 main sections, namely, “Introduction”, “The Kurdish Problem”, “Murders by Unknown Assailants”, “Extra-judicial Executions”, “Capital Punishment”, ‘Torture”, “Freedom of Thought, Press and Belief’ and “Freedom of Organization”. These sections were divided into sub-sections, which include many samples. However, the examples do not cover all of the developments and abuses observed during the year; they only reflect a small portion of them. Therefore, one should take into account that there were many more human rights violations in 1994 than figures and examples show.
HRFT President Yavuz Onen’s article entitled “As for Foreword” which evaluates the human rights situation and present human rights problems and enumerates the measures that should immediately be taken on this issue is also included in the report. In his evaluation, Yavuz Onen touches on the approach of the Foundation towards certain important subjects in Turkey and in the world in 1994 and gives information about the works of the Foundation, and pressure and difficulties it faced.
The Documentation Center formed within the HRFT started its work as of March 1990 when the Foundation began functioning. The Center has been preparing daily human rights reports (except on Sundays and Saturdays) since 2 April 1990. At the Documentation Center, newspapers and journals have been evaluated, press clippings have been classified and filed according to their subjects. In addition, a computer supported data-bank, and archives of documents and video cassettes have been formed. Through documents and information it has, the Documentation Center helps the individuals and organizations interested in human rights, and supports the human rights struggle in this way.
During the 5-year period, the Documentation Center has prepared various reports along with its daily work, made these reports public in Turkey and abroad, and contributed to publicizing the activities of the Foundation. The reports are as follows:
- 1990 Press Report (Turkish-summary in English)
- Report -1990 (Turkish-English)
. Torture Report -1991 (Turkish-English)
- Turkey Human Rights Report-1991 (Turkish-English)
- 100-Day Report -1992 (Turkish-English)
. 6-Month Report-1992 (Turkish-English)
. Turkey Human Rights Report -1992 (Turkish-English)
- 500-Day Report -1993 (Turkish-English)
- Following the Coalition Government -1993 (Turkish-summary in English)
- Turkey Human Rights Report -1993 (Turkish-English)
- File of Torture-12September 1980/1994 (Turkish-English)
Confiscated, prosecuted at the Ankara SSC and acquitted.
- Education in the Emergency State Region 1984/1994 (Turkish-English)
The Documentation Center of the HRFT will continue to prepare such reports in the future. In order that such reports become more comprehensive, we ask interested individuals and institutions to forward their information and documents to us and to quote us their criticisms about the report.
Wishing that a peaceful future in which the human, human rights and freedoms are totally respected is very close, we present our respects to our friends who supported us and forwarded information and documents at every stage of our work, and to all human rights advocates with whom we have been struggling together for years.
September 1995 / Ankara
(*) “Turkey Human Rights Report-1994” is available in return for US $ 10 or its TL equivalent from “TIHV Menekfe 2 Sok. No: 16/6 Kizilay - Ankara (06440)”
As for Foreword
1994 was no different from previous years in essence. We did not observe any move towards protecting, promoting and improving human rights in any way, nor were investigations begun against those who abused human rights. Therefore, it can be said that our report is not much different from previous annual reports.
Systematic and widespread torture, extra-judicial executions, murders by unknown assailants, disappearances, prosecution of persons for their writings and speeches especially under Article 8 of the “Law to Fight Terrorism”, in which freedom of expression is equated with terrorism, abuses of civilians’ rights -by security forces or armed groups- in the Emergency State Region, village bumings/evacuations, forced migrations, destruction of villagers’ belongers, defilement of food, prevention of agriculture and stock-breeding, the killing of animals and burning of forests, aerial or surface-bombardment of villages and hamlets during operations continued.
One of the most important events of the last year was the lifting of the parliamentary immunities of DEP deputies, closure of die party by the Constitutional Court and acceptance of the argument of Prime Minister (filler that “die deputies were PKK members” by the SSC and higher court (die Constitutional Court). After the closure decision was disclosed, some of the deputies left the country, and odiers were imprisoned witii long sentences. Thus, political discussions on the Kurdish problem were meant to be impeded and the message that “speaking about this problem would be identified witii separatist armed movement” was conveyed.
Detailed examination of our report will show tiiat a total of 4,041 people were killed in die country in 1994 as a result of all diese abuses, armed clashes, armed attacks and bombings. The majority of diese people died in die Emergency State Region.
Over a thousand villages and hamlets were evacuated or burnt down. Village evacuations and burnings, which were mostly observed in Tunceli and its surroundings, was evaluated as “state terrorism” by Azimet Koyltioglu, State Minister responsible for human rights. In the process, 2 or 3 million people were uprooted from dieir cultural environment and lands whore they had lived for years. Urban centers were flooded by Kurdish immigrants. A large mass of people, in need of employment, healtii services, education, food, accommodation and security is currently living a dramatic episode in tiiose centers. Turkey witnessed a mass emigration (20,000 people) even across its borders (Nordiem Iraq)'.
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