UN expert: Torture and abuse 'widespread' in Turkey following July coup bid
The UN's Nils Melzer has said that torture and other forms of ill-treatment seem to have been widespread following the failed coup attempt. The findings echo previous claims from leading rights groups.
The UN's special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer, told reporters in Ankara on Friday that measures taken in Turkey following the July coup attempt had created an "environment conducive to torture." "Testimonies received from inmates and their lawyers suggest that in the days and weeks following the failed coup torture and other forms of ill treatment were widespread," he said. Melzer's made the comments after a six-day tour of Turkey to investigate allegations of torture. His visit comes one month after US watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Turkish police of torturing detainees arrested in connection with coup attempt. The UN rapporteur also cautioned that Turkey's prisons and holding cells were often overcrowded: "Most facilities visited were overcrowded, with occupancy ranging from 125 to more than 200 per cent of the actual capacity." However, Melzer also noted that, after visiting facilities in Ankara, Diyarbakir, Sanliura and Istanbul, the overall conditions were generally satisfactory. Recent legislation and statutory decrees passed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had created a "climate of intimidation," he said, discouraging victims from filing complaints or speaking out about their abuse. "Holding cells, currently keeping individuals for up 30 days without any access to fresh air, are not suitable to detain anyone for more than 48 hours," Melzer said. Sweeping security measures adopted as part of Turkey's state of emergency, which was extended by 12 weeks in October, mean that people are held in custody without judicial review for up to 30 days and without access to a lawyer for five days, according to Melzer. "Worldwide experience shows us that it is precisely in the first hours and days after arrest that the risk of abuse, including torture and other forms of ill-treatment, is highest," he said, urging the Turkish government to live up its declared "zero-tolerance" policy on torture. Turkey's post-coup crackdown Since July, more than 100,000 people in the judiciary, military, media, civil service and education sector have been detained, dismissed or suspended. Most of them are accused of some connection to the coup attempt, which the government blames on followers of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based preacher. Around 37,000 people remain under arrest, some of whom claim to have been tortured, according to human rights groups. Just over a week after the coup bid, human rights NGO Amnesty International said it had "credible evidence" of detainees suffering abuses and torture. "Ahead of the coup we were already receiving very serious reports of torture and ill-treatment, mostly in the southeast of Turkey," Amnesty International's Turkey researcher, Andrew Gardner, said. "But what we saw after the violent coup attempt of July 15 was an explosion in the number of cases." There is also concern that opposition groups are being targeted, including Kurdish groups and independent media outlets. Erdogan has justified the purge as targeting terrorism. Concerns over human rights abuses have damaged relations with the European Union. In November, the European Parliament voted in favor of freezing membership talks with Turkey. Turkey's Ministry of Justice did not immediately respond to Melzer's comments. However, last month it responded to the HRW report, saying "there is not even a small doubt that all the allegations of maltreatment or torture are being actively investigated by an independent and objective judiciary." Other Turkish officials have dismissed allegations made by rights groups as propaganda. dm/msh (AP, dpa, AFP)
UN
United_Nations UN_(band) Un_(album) United_Nations_Command U.N._(group) Union_Nationale_(Quebec) National_Unity_(Peru) UN_(album) National_Union_(Spain) Parti_Unité_Nationale United_Nations_Interim_Administration_Mission_in_Kosovo United_Nations_System Peacekeeping United_Nations_Mission_in_Sierra_Leone Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1874
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
July
UN
United_Nations UN_(band) Un_(album) United_Nations_Command U.N._(group) Union_Nationale_(Quebec) National_Unity_(Peru) UN_(album) National_Union_(Spain) Parti_Unité_Nationale United_Nations_Interim_Administration_Mission_in_Kosovo United_Nations_System Peacekeeping United_Nations_Mission_in_Sierra_Leone Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1874
Nils Melzer
Nils_Melzer
UN
United_Nations UN_(band) Un_(album) United_Nations_Command U.N._(group) Union_Nationale_(Quebec) National_Unity_(Peru) UN_(album) National_Union_(Spain) Parti_Unité_Nationale United_Nations_Interim_Administration_Mission_in_Kosovo United_Nations_System Peacekeeping United_Nations_Mission_in_Sierra_Leone Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1874
Nils Melzer
Nils_Melzer
Ankara
Ankara Ankara_Province Ankara_(electoral_districts) Ankara_Football_League Ankara_Tren_Garı Ankara_railway_station Battle_of_Ankara Esenboğa_International_Airport Cabinet_of_Turkey Ankara_19_Mayıs_Stadium Timeline_of_Ankara Ankara_University Halkbank_Ankara_(women's_volleyball) TED_Ankara_Kolejliler Ankara_Arena Ankara_Vilayet
Friday
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
Melzer
Jürgen_Melzer
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
watchdog
Human Rights Watch
Human_Rights_Watch
HRW
Human_Rights_Watch Horus Tangga_language
Turkish
UN
United_Nations UN_(band) Un_(album) United_Nations_Command U.N._(group) Union_Nationale_(Quebec) National_Unity_(Peru) UN_(album) National_Union_(Spain) Parti_Unité_Nationale United_Nations_Interim_Administration_Mission_in_Kosovo United_Nations_System Peacekeeping United_Nations_Mission_in_Sierra_Leone Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1874
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
Melzer
Jürgen_Melzer
Ankara
Ankara Ankara_Province Ankara_(electoral_districts) Ankara_Football_League Ankara_Tren_Garı Ankara_railway_station Battle_of_Ankara Esenboğa_International_Airport Cabinet_of_Turkey Ankara_19_Mayıs_Stadium Timeline_of_Ankara Ankara_University Halkbank_Ankara_(women's_volleyball) TED_Ankara_Kolejliler Ankara_Arena Ankara_Vilayet
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır Diyarbakır_Province Chaldean_Catholic_Archeparchy_of_Amida Diyarbekir_Eyalet Diyarbakır_Airport
Sanliura
Istanbul
Istanbul Istanbul_Province Ataköy_Athletics_Arena İstanbul_(electoral_districts) Istanbul_(film) Intercity_Istanbul_Park WTA_Finals Istanbul_Atatürk_Airport Amex-Istanbul_Challenger Sinan_Erdem_Dome Istanbul_(Not_Constantinople) Istanbul_Football_League İstanbul_Cup Istanbul_Region_(statistical) Abdi_İpekçi_Arena Ecumenical_Patriarchate_of_Constantinople
Turkish
President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep_Tayyip_Erdoğan Recep_Tayyip_Erdoğan_Stadium
Melzer
Jürgen_Melzer
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
October
Melzer
Jürgen_Melzer
Turkish
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
July
Fethullah Gulen
Fethullah_Gülen
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
NGO
Amnesty International
Amnesty_International Amnesty_International_Australia Amnesty_International_USA Amnesty_International_UK_Media_Awards Amnesty_International_New_Zealand
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
Amnesty International
Amnesty_International Amnesty_International_Australia Amnesty_International_USA Amnesty_International_UK_Media_Awards Amnesty_International_New_Zealand
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
researcher
Andrew Gardner
Andrew_Gardner_(newsreader) Andrew_Gardner_(American_football)
July 15
Kurdish
Kurds Kurdish_languages Kurdistan Kurds_in_Turkey Kurds_in_Iraq Kurds_in_Syria Iraqi_Kurdistan Kurdish_alphabets Kurds_in_Iran Kurdish_music Kurdish_literature Kurdish_nationalism Central_Kurdish Northern_Kurdish Kurdish_cuisine Kurdish_population
Erdogan
Recep_Tayyip_Erdoğan Azize_Erdoğan Erdoğan_Arıca Yusuf_Erdoğan Ömer_Erdoğan
European Union
European_Union European_Boxing_Union Member_state_of_the_European_Union European_Union_(resistance_group) Citizenship_of_the_European_Union Renewable_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_law Accession_of_Albania_to_the_European_Union Elections_to_the_European_Parliament Solar_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_Special_Representative European_Economic_Community Flag_of_Europe Pakistan–European_Union_relations LGBT_rights_in_the_European_Union History_of_the_European_Union
November
European Parliament
European_Parliament European_Parliament_election,_2009_(United_Kingdom) Member_of_the_European_Parliament Espace_Léopold Seat_of_the_European_Parliament_in_Strasbourg European_Parliament_election,_1994_(Spain) Elections_to_the_European_Parliament European_Parliament_election,_1987_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_2014_(United_Kingdom) European_Parliament_election,_2014_(Poland) London_(European_Parliament_constituency) European_Parliament_election,_2014_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_2009_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_2004_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_1989_(Spain) List_of_members_of_the_European_Parliament_for_Greece,_2014–19
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
Ministry of Justice
Ministry_of_Justice_(United_Kingdom) Ministry_of_Justice Ministry_of_Justice_(Japan) Ministry_of_Justice_(Turkey) Ministry_of_Justice_and_Public_Security Ministry_of_Justice_(Sweden) Ministry_of_Justice_(Taiwan) Ministry_of_Justice_(Russia) Ministry_of_Justice_(New_Zealand) Ministry_of_Justice_(Denmark) Ministry_of_Justice_(Lithuania) Ministry_of_Justice_(Thailand) Ministry_of_Justice_and_Security Ministry_of_Justice_(Ukraine) Ministry_of_Justice_(South_Korea) Ministry_of_Justice_(France)
Melzer
Jürgen_Melzer
HRW
Human_Rights_Watch Horus Tangga_language
Turkish
dm/msh (AP, dpa, AFP)
Nils Melzer
Nils_Melzer
gender::male iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politics_per
Turkey
Turkey
slot::in slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Human Rights Watch
Human_Rights_Watch
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::ngo type::organization
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep_Tayyip_Erdoğan
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
UN
United_Nations
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization
July
topic::none type::time type::value
Ankara
Ankara
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Friday
topic::none type::time type::value
US
United_States
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
watchdog
topic::none type::role type::value
Turkish
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Sanliura
Urfa
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Istanbul
Istanbul
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
President
topic::none type::role type::value
October
topic::none type::time type::value
Fethullah Gulen
Fethullah_Gülen
gender::male iptc::12000000 topic::religion type::clergy type::entity type::person
NGO
topic::none type::role type::value
Amnesty International
Amnesty_International
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::ngo type::organization
researcher
topic::none type::role type::value
Andrew Gardner
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::activist type::entity type::person
July 15
topic::none type::time type::value
Kurdish
Kurds
topic::none type::entity type::ethnicity
European Union
European_Union
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization type::so
November
topic::none type::time type::value
European Parliament
European_Parliament
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization
Ministry of Justice
Ministry_of_Justice_(Turkey)
iptc::11000000 policy::justice topic::politics type::entity type::governmental_organisation type::ministry type::organization
dm/msh (AP, dpa, AFP)
topic::none type::footer type::other