As the unfortunate armed conflict restarted, the issue of captured civilians and security personnel by PKK/HPG regained prominence in the public agenda. In the previous incidents, all the captives returned to their families as a result of the efforts initiated by human rights organizations. 20 border control officials, captured during July-August 2015, had been taken from PKK/HPG and brought back to Turkey by Human Rights Association (HRA) on September 8, 2015 in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
Yet, the soldiers and policemen, captured during the road interception protests and check points conducted by PKK, have not been released yet.
The policeman, Vedat Kaya, has been captured on the highway of Diyarbakir-Bingol on 24th of July 2015.
The policeman, Sedat Yalabak, has been captured on the highway of Diyarbakir-Bingol on 28th of July 2015.
The private, Sedat Sorgun, has been captured on the highway of Diyarbakir-Lice on 13th of August 2015.
The sergeant, Semih Ozbey, has been captured on the highway of Diyarbakir-Erzincan on 18th of September 2015.
The privates Muslim Altuntas and Adil Kavak have been captured on the highway of Diyarbakir-Pulumur on 2nd of October 2015.
The families and relatives of captives have consulted with HRA and Mazlumder. Previously, our headquarters made public announcements with requests of release and reception of these captives.
We would like to clarify that along with the release of captives, a long lasting cease-fire is essential to maintain permanent end to the conflict; thus, such incidents would not take place. Turkey must turn back to the process formulated in the declaration 28th of February 2015 and restart the peace and solution process as soon as possible. The government must immediately give up damaging the political institutions by putting an end to the waves of arrests and detentions aimed at Kurdish political movement.
We would like to remind PKK/HPG that they are responsible for the security and well-being of the captive soldiers and policemen, that the families and democratic public request release of the captives, and that we can facilitate the reception of them.
Before the public, we state that also the government is and must be responsible for the freedom and security of its citizens, to take whatever actions necessary for their release, to support the initiatives taken by human rights organizations, and to have a role to ease the procedures for the initiated efforts.
Once again, in the context of rights of individual freedom and security, as the human rights organizations, we stress on the necessity of the release of the captives.
Human Rights Association
Turkish Human Rights Foundation
The Association for Human Rights and Solidarity for the Oppressed