TORTURE IS BEING BROUGHT TO EUROPE

The Hunger Strike, which was begun on October 20, 2000 in Turkey's
prisons, was converted into a Death Fast on November 19. The demands
are: The closure of the 'F' Type cell prisons. Law 3713 with all its
consequences must be abolished. The Tripartite Protocol must be
abolished. The State Security Courts and all the consequences flowing
from them must be abolished. At regular intervals, the prisons must be
supervised by delegations of lawyers, doctors, prisoners' families,
representatives of relevant non-governmental organisations and the
Association of Judicial Personnel. Those responsible for the massacre
and torture of our friends in Buca, Umraniye, Diyarbakir, Ulucanlar,
Burdur prisons must be swiftly indicted and punished. Our friends who
are suffering from various ailments or from the Death Fast or were
wounded in operations in the prisons and have had no medical treatment
are to be released. Those who tortured our sons and daughters when they
were detained are to be put on trial in a manner accessible to public
opinion. All anti-democratic laws which impede the struggle for people's
democracy and freedom must be abolished, there must be an end to the
oppression of the Kurdish nation and other national minorities. Where
the integration phase of Turkey with Europe is concerned, this also
means carrying the inhuman conditions in the prisons, which created the
basis for the Death Fast, to Europe. The European Union which tries to
include Turkey, also imports inhuman practices into Europe. The
institutions, political parties, governments, states and peoples of
Europe should know this fact.

HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY ARE SYSTEMATICALLY VIOLATED
Police stations in Turkey are torture centres. The police HQs, military
garrisons, secret buildings of Turkish national intelligence are torture
centres. Up to the present, hundreds of thousands of our people have
been tortured in these centres. Thousands of women and men were raped.
Thousands of our people were massacred. Several European institutions
are aware of at least the majority of these cases of torture and
massacre. Because of these cases of torture, the European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) has condemned Turkey on many occasions. Today, that is, in
the year 2000, nothing has changed. That same Turkey, without any
change, has become part of the EU. Europe, which condemned Turkey in the
past because of its criminal activities against humanity, is ignoring
the crimes of Turkey now and is becoming an accomplice of Turkey. The
prisons of Turkey are the massacre centres. Besides the systematic
violations of the captives' rights, these are the places where torture
and mass murder takes place. Never mind protecting rights, lives are in
danger in the prisons. On September 21, 1995 in Buca Prison, three
political prisoners were beaten to death; on January 6, 1996 in Umraniye
Prison, four political prisoners were beaten to death; on September 24,
1996 in Diyarbakir Prison, ten political prisoners were beaten to death;
on September 26, 1999 in Ulucanlar Prison, ten political prisoners were
killed by torture and gunshots. Also, hundreds of political prisoners
were left handicapped after the operations by the security forces.
Dozens of prisoners have died of illnesses because of ill treatment in
the prisons. Thousands of prisoners have serious medical problems in
these torture centres which are called prisons. Today, that is, in the
year 2000, nothing has changed. On top of all these, they are trying to
change the existing ward-type prisons into cell-type prisons. The
prisoners' lives were already at risk when they were living together in
wards. By putting them into individual cells the authorities are trying
to take away all possibility of them defending themselves. Turkey wants
more freedom to kill in prisons. Europe knows all these things. All the
European states, politicians and law practitioners know these facts very
well. To embrace Turkey while knowing all these things means being an
accomplice in all these inhuman practices in prisons. The streets of
Turkey are places where those who defend their rights are
beaten and killed. Whether permitted or not, all democratic activities
are subject to police
attack. Young or old, men or women, children or adults. all those who
take part in demonstrations are subjected to the attacks of the security
forces. It is free to beat and kill the workers, civil servants, women,
youth, students, pensioners and all sections of the people who are using
their
constitutional right - participating in demonstrations - to defend their
rights. There is no permission to use existing rights of participating
in unions and other legal rights. Today, that is, in the year 2000,
nothing has changed. Europe knows these things very well. There is no
need to enumerate the violations one by one. These are "ordinary" things
we come across on the streets. It will be enough
to watch any of the television news. Our fathers, mothers and young
girls are dragged on the streets and our people are subjected to savage
attacks. The Europe which welcomes Turkey will also carry this reality
onto its own streets. In Turkey there is no freedom of thought and
freedom of taking part in organisations.
Laws in Turkey regulate the ban on thoughts. Opposing massacres,
torture, violations of human rights and tyranny in Turkey, defending a
dignified life and democratic liberties and propagating these thoughts
are forbidden. Almost every day many journalists who oppose the regime
are detained, tortured and receive decades-long imprisonment.
Newspapers, magazines, radio
stations, TV channels are closed and their editors and responsible
editors are sent to prison. In today's Turkey, if you are a journalist,
it is normal to be imprisoned for a time. Besides all this, Turkey is
known for the highest number of cases of imprisonment and murder of
journalists. The
streets of Turkey were the scene of the murder of a 17-year-old
newspaper distributor.
Today, that is, in the year of 2000, nothing has changed. Europe knows
well the censorship and punishment of press. The ECHR has also condemned
Turkey for this on several occasions.
Everyone who defends his or her rights is a "terrorist" in Turkey. His
or her punishment is torture, murder or imprisonment. In Turkey, those
who are for a democratic system, those who want an
independent and free country, those who want a just regime and not
tyranny are seen as terrorists. They are murdered in the streets, in
their houses or workplaces, wherever they are. They are tortured,
detained and held in prisons - under inhuman conditions - for years. But
even prisons are not enough. In order to destroy their beliefs, they try
to put them in isolation cells. With article 3713, the anti-terror law,
the entire country is converted into a prison. Turkey wants to create a
decayed and intimidated population that is silent. This is the reason
for the state terror, oppression, bans, torture and massacres. Europe is
well aware of this. The Kurdish people who want their national identity
are "terrorists". Even a minimum demand for nationhood is repressed by
blood and terror. The rest of the world knows the savagery that the
Kurdish people have faced for
decades. The bombed and burned villages, torture, massacre, people who
are forced to eat manure and the young people who are dragged to death
behind tanks - all these things are the reality of the Kurdish people.
The European Parliament, The Council of Europe and the ECHR are
completely
aware of these things. Up to the present, dozens of reports have been
written and many times the state in Turkey has been condemned. The
reality of the state in Turkey being the accused in one third of all the
ECHR hearings is proof of this. That is, Turkey being the country most
on
trial by European bodies on grounds of human rights violations is enough
to make everything understandable. In addition to these the annual
reports of Amnesty International have shown clearly what we have tried
to describe above.
The European people must oppose the decision of the European governments
to accept Turkey into the EU just because of their economic interests.
The European people know fascism. The recent past of Europe is still
remembered. Today's policy on Turkey, which means to bring fascism back
to Europe, must be abandoned. Whether or not they are Liberal,
Socialist, Green and Christian Democrat, all the European political
parties and politicians from different tendencies will be accomplices of
fascism in Turkey by bringing Turkey to Europe. This means re-importing
fascism. This means bringing torture, massacres, "disappearances" in
detention, burning villages. to
Europe. This must be stopped immediately. The continuing Death Fast
resistance in Turkey's prisons against the F-type isolation cells is
bringing the reality of Turkey where all basic human rights are
violated, onto the agenda again. The Death Fast resisters are abandoning
the most valuable things of human beings; their lives, loved ones and
hopes for a dignified life. For thousands of years, mankind has created
numerous examples of heroism for the sake of a dignified life. Today
this example is the Death Fast resisters. It is a duty of humanity to
support them and not permit new deaths.

IT IS IN OUR HANDS TO PREVENT DEATHS, TAKE THE DEMANDS OF THE DEATH FAST
RESISTERS AS YOUR OWN.
PS: The following list is the list of volunteers who are currently alive
with their hopes, ideals, emotions and beliefs. They will leave us if we
react too late.

ÜMRANÝYE PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: AHMET ÝBÝLÝ, AHMET ÖZDEMÝR, ERGÜL ACER, YILDIZ GEMÝCÝOÐLU,
ZEHRA KURTAY, ÜMÜÞ ÞAHÝNGÖZ, ZEYNEP ARIKAN, GÜLAY KAVAK, MEHMET ZÝNCÝR,
MUHARREM GENÇ, VELÝ GÜNEÞ, HASAN PINAR, ALÝ ÞANLI, ALÝ RIZA DEMÝR, OSMAN
OSMANAÐAOÐLU, TKP(ML) Trial: DURMUÞ KURT, MEHMET KEREM, CEM YILDIZ,
ÖZGÜR AYRILMAZ, YAÞAR YAÐAN TKÝP Trial: SERVET PAKSOY

ÇANKIRI PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: HASAN GÜNGÖRMEZ, ÝRFAN ORTAKÇI, CÝHAN ÞEKER, TEMEL
ÇAÐIRTEKÝN, ÖZGÜR SONER TKÝP Trial: MUHARREM KURÞUN

BURSA PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: ERDAL ARIKAN, MURAT ÖZDEMÝR, MESUT ÖRS
TKP(ML) Trial: ORHAN BUDAK, A. ÝHSAN ÖZKAN, ERDAL ÇETÝNKAYA, ALÝ KÖÇMEN,
ADÝL KAPLAN, ÖZGÜR KOÇAK, YUSUF KARACA

AYDIN PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: SÝNAN EREN, SUAT KARABULUT, BURHAN GARDAÞ
ÇANAKKALE PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: FÝDAN KALÞEN, AYÞE BAÞTÝMUR, SEMRA ASKERÝ, FATMA ERSOY,
AYÞE EREN, NAZAN YILMAZ, KEMAL ALTINGÜL, TUNCAY BERBER, MUHARREM GÜZEL,
DAÝMÝ ATEÞ.
TKP(ML) Trial: BERNA ÜNSAL

MALATYA PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: ESMA ARSLANBOÐAN, Þ. MURAT ÖZTEN
TKP(ML) Trial: HAKKI ALPHAN, MAHMUT METE, ALI EKBER DOÐAN, HAVVA DOÐAN

BARTIN PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: MUSTAFA ERKAN ÇETÝN, AHMET YILMAZ, HAMÝT SÜREN, ALÝ ÇOLAK,
CENGÝZ SOYDAÞ
TKP(ML) Trial: C. TAYYAR BEKTAÞ, ÖZGÜR SALTIK
TKÝP Trial: RESUL AYAZ

GEBZE PRISON:
TKP(ML) Trial: A. MUSA AYDIN, NEBAHAT POLAT, YADÝGAR BAYAR, ALÝ RIZA
DERMANLI, ÇETÝN CAN.
TKÝP Trial: DÜZGÜN ZENGÝN

UÞAK PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: SEVGÝ ERDOÐAN, BERRÝN BIÇKILAR, VÝCDAN ÞAHÝN.
TKP(ML) Trial: GÖNÜL ASLAN.

BUCA PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: MESUT AVCI, ABDULLAH BOZDAÐ, SERHAT KARADUMANLI.
TKP(ML) Trial: CELAL ALPAY
ULUCANLAR PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: FATMA HÜLYA TÜMGAN
TKÝP Trial: HATÝCE YÜREKLÝ

BAYRAMPAÞA PRISON:
DHKP-C Trial: GÜLSEREN ÖZTÜRK, SUNA ÖKMEN, AYLA ÖZCAN, FIRAT TAVUK, AÞUR
KORKMAZ, ALÝ ATEÞ, RECEP CÝNGÝTAÞ, AYHAN KOÇ, ÝSMET ÜNVER, KADÝR KAYA.
TKP(ML) Trial: MURAT TARGAY, HÜSEYÝN ASLAN, ÖKKEÞ KARAOÐLU.

arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)