'Credible evidence' of Turkey torture: Amnesty
July 24, 2016
In a statement released Sunday, the London-based human rights group said detainees held in official and unofficial detention centers in Istanbul and Ankara were being beaten, tortured and raped at the hands of police.
According to Amnesty's sources, detainees were being held in "stress positions" for up to two days, denied food, water and medical treatment and subjected to verbal abuse and threats.
"Reports of abuse including beatings and rape in detention are extremely alarming, especially given the scale of detentions that we have seen in the past week. The grim details that we have documented are just a snapshot of the abuses that might be happening in places of detention," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Europe director. He called on Turkish authorities to "halt these abhorrent practices" and allow international monitors to visit the detainees.
Amnesty also expressed concerns that people were being held incommunicado and denied access to due legal process.
The organization said it based its report on interviews with lawyers, doctors and a person on duty at a detention facility.
An unnamed senior official in Ankara quoted by news agency AFP denied Amnesty's statements, labeling the idea that Turkey, a country seeking European Union membership, would not respect the law as "absurd."
"We categorically deny the allegations and encourage advocacy groups to provide an unbiased account of the legal steps that are being taken against people who murdered nearly 250 civilians in cold blood," the official was quoted as saying, referring to the deaths during the failed coup attempt on the night of July 15.
More than 13,000 soldiers, police, justice officials and civilians have been detained since then. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency which allows the government to bypass parliament and rule by decree.
Erdogan has targeted suspected supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan has accused of plotting the coup. The crackdown has alarmed Turkey's NATO and European allies.
Thousands protest coup
A "Republic and Democracy" rally which brought together supporters of Turkey's ruling and opposition parties attracted thousands of demonstrators Sunday in Istanbul. It was held in Taksim Square under tight security, given the violence during the coup attempt and recent deadly attacks in Turkey by "Islamic State" and Kurdish militants.
The event was called by the opposition secular Republican People's Party (CHP) and joined by the ruling Islamist-conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP). It was broadcast live on pro-government channels.
"This is a day to unite, a day to stand up against coups and dictatorial regimes, a day to let the voice of the people be heard," CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu told the crowd.
The square was full of Turkish flags and protesters held banners reading "No to coups" and "We're standing up for the republic and democracy."
se/cmk (AFP, AP, Reuters)