About 44 people, including administrators of Democratic Society Party (DTP) provincial and district organizations in Adana, Küçük Dikili Mayor Ms. Leyla Güven and Misis Mayor Mr. Burhan Ars were detained from their house in early morning on 14.08.2008. Within the framework of these detentions, police and gendarmerie forces planned to raid Adana DTP provincial organization. After an application via phone to Human Rights Association (İHD) Adana Branch, the president of the branch Mr. Ethem Açıkalın and an administrator Mr. Hüseyin Beyaz went to the scene to become observer and determine human rights violations at the scene immediately.
POLICE FORCES GO ON BREAKING ARM!
When the president Mr. Ethem Açıkalın and the administrator Mr. Hüseyin Beyaz enter into DTP building, they see police raid. After a while, police force members ask our administrators that why they did come there. The president and administrator say that they came because they got a call and getting information and preparing report about detentions and releasing these reports to the public part of their activities. After a short argument, police forces attacked against them and took the President Mr. Ethem Açıkalın and the Treasurer out. They take our administrators forcibly to door of DTP building, which is in the 3 floor, and throw them from DTP building to stairs. As a result of this attack, Mr. Beyaz’s arm is broken. Mr. Beyaz is taken to the State Hospital in Adana and broken arm is proved by doctors. He gets a medical report that states he will be disable for service for next two months.
ALTHOUGH POLICE FORCES ARE OFFENDER, THEY FILE A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT!
As Adana Police forces are aware their attack has serious outcomes against them, they immediately file a complaint against our administrators in regard to resisting against police forces. Prosecution office, which calls our administrators immediately, is surprised when they see situation of our administrators.
İHD Adana Branch is going to file a criminal complaint today (18.08.2008).
The Government is responsible for the action of the security forces that think it can apply any kind of violence and act in this way. Security forces have such an opinion with changes, which have been made in June 2007, in Law on the Duties and Competencies of Police. İHD condemns the attack against our administrator Mr. Hüseyin Beyaz who conducted determining and observing human rights violations that is in the nature of human rights defending and the basic mission of human rights defenders.
We invite the Government to conform to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, and start all judicial and administrative investigation.
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS