To Mr. Abdülkadir Aksu
Minister of Internal Affairs
Ankara
Re: Regarding Şiar Perinçek
Ref: 202/2004/16-170
Dear Minister,
Şiar Perinçek was injured during an operation conducted by the anti-terror branch of the Adana Security Directorate in Adana on May 28, 2004. He was transferred to the Adana State Hospital, where he died on May 30, 2004.
Şiar Perinçek was the son of Mihdi Perinçek, member of our General Executive Board and representative of the East and South-East Anatolia Regions. In this respect, it could be said that we have lost a family member.
Dear Minister,
We have eyewitness testimony concerning Şiar Perinçek’s murder. According to eyewitness statements, the incident occurred in a plaza across the street from the Adana branch office of the HRA. Police officers in a Volkswagen approach a motorcycle bearing two individuals from behind. The officers open the car door and, as a result, the two individuals fall from their motorcycle. One of these stands up and begins to flee. One of the plain clothes officers who gets out the car plants his foot on the waist of the other individual, who is still lying on the ground, shoots him on the right side of his back, and pockets the empty cartridges. The individual lying on the ground, having been shot dead by the officer, is Şiar Perinçek. Sadly, he is the victim of an extra-judicial execution.
Dear Minister,
Whatever happened to the process of democratization, the promise that the police would make use of only a limited degree of violence, that torture would be eliminated, and that an end would finally be put to extra-judicial executions? Whatever happened to the promise that no one was to be executed, even as a result of judicial decisions? Was it for this that we abolished the death penalty?
Dear Minister,
What would you think if the murdered youth had been one of your relatives, or God forbid, one of your own children? We now ask what has been done with respect to those officers who participated in the murder. We demand that any officer who is responsible for this murder are immediately dismissed from their duties and brought before a court of law. Those responsible for this extra-judicial execution should be held accountable before a court of law. Since its establishment, our Association has struggled against these kinds of attacks, particularly those that target or implicate the right to life. No one should expect us to stand by and watch as one of our family members is murdered in this manner. We will employ all of the legitimate means of struggle with which human rights provide us, whether it be in the form of domestic law or international law.
Dear Minister,
In a truly democratic legal order, the right to life is protected by the state. We would like to remind you that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which you currently head, is responsible for these matters. It is unacceptable that the right to life should be violated by security forces personally responsible to your Ministry. We wait for you to take personal command of Şiar Perincek’s murder.
We strongly protest the fact that the beliefs and activities of police officers display a desire to eliminate the right to life of ordinary citizens. As one in possession of the highest degree of political and administrative responsibility, we hope that you will take active steps to investigate this incident.
Sincerely,
In the name of the HRA General Executive Board
Hüsnü Öndül
President