"They tortured us for days"

Villagers in Beytussebap explained the horror they had experienced to a delegation of
Human Rights Association saying that they had been tortured for days. Villager Rasim Asan
said that he had been tortured heavily under detention and made sign a document on which
"I took money from Osman Baydemir to speak" was written.

UMUT CANAN/SIRNAK 
Ozgur Politika
Aug 11, 2001

Detainees in Ortali (Bezal), Ilicak (Germav), and Dagalti (Tivor) villages of Beytussebap
district of Sirnak province narrated the horror they had experienced to a delegation of
Human Rights Association (IHD). Detained villagers stated that they had been heavily
tortured for days.

A delegation of human rights consisting of representatives of non-governmental
organizations in Amed went to Beytussebap to investigate the torture claims and forced
evacuation of villages. About two months ago when a soldier died and 10 soldiers wounded
due to mines, military forces busted some villages of village guards and detained some of the
villagers. The delegation met with Turan Aslan, Bahattin Aslan, Cafer Aslan, Kerim Acar,
Mirza Asan, Yakup Asan and Hekim Aslan who were among the 27 villagers detained.

Presenting their investigations as a written report, the delegation stated that all villagers had
said they were detained by a set-up and they were tortured heavily. Statements of Cafer
Aslan from Ilicak village showed the horror they had experienced.

"They made me eat feces"

Saying that he had been under detention for 11 days, Cafer Aslan explained that after he was
taken to Beytüssebap Gendarme Station together with Kerim Acar and Isa Abi he was
maltreated until 11 p.m. then he was taken to a doctor and getting a "healthy" report he was
taken back to the station. Aslan said that he could not find words to explain the horror he had
experienced, adding "We were hung to Palestinian harger stark naked. They charged
electricty and we was raped by inserting bill club to our anus. Our feces were thrusted into
our mouths. They threatened us with making the same thing to women in our families. In
case that I did not accept the charges they threatened me with execution."

Forged statements

Saying that he was tortured by Sirnak Regiment Commander in person, Aslan pointed out
that he was put into a military Land-Rover together with other victims Semsettin Abi and Isa
Abi, then military forces placed some guns and mines to their cellars. Afterwards they wrote
a report and threatened him with killing in case that he did not accept the charges. The
victim mentioned that he had thought that he might explain the torture in prosecutor's office,
therefore he had confessed the faked charges in detail.

"The reason is that they do not need us anymore"

Yakup Asan from Dagalti (Tivor) village reminded that they are village guards and said the
main reason of torture is that the state does not need them anymore.

Soruþturulmasý gerekiyor 

The conclusion section of the report had the following to say: "The fact that the victims have
narrared the torture in detail, they are treated medicaly, they have signs of torture on their
body and all victims have explained the torture to the prosecutor and judge denying their
statements under detention has given us the impression that they have been heavily tortured.
They should been sent to medical doctor and the case should be investigated."

"They will kill us"

Villagers in Ortali (Bezal), Ilicak (Germav) and Dagalti (Tivor) villages which were
evacuated said to a delegation of IHD that they were threatened by military forces a day
before and they could not speak. Mukhtar Celal Aslan in Ortali village claimed "We
emptied the village for our security" whereas 18-year-old Rasim Asan said that the mukhtar
lied and their village was made be emptied by oppression and torture. Asan was said to be
taken under detention and tortured, moreover he was made sign a document on which "I
have taken money from Osman Baydemir, Diyarbakir Provincial Chairman of IHD to speak
like this".

Women, speaking after the mukhtar left their tents, mentioned that their husbands were
detained and tortured, their cattles were wasted, they could not turn back to their villages
and they are under oppression. The villagers added that they had been threatened by military
forces for not to speak with the delegation screaming "They will kill us". Villagers in Ilicak
said the same thing too.

On the other hand members of the delegation were taken under detention in Sirnak, searched
thoroughly and their all notes were confiscated. Video cassettes of Ozgur Cebe and Ibrahim
Yakut, correspondents of Dogan and Ihlas News Agencies were confiscated too. The
members of the delegation were released after being under detention for three hours.
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