A coalition of human rights organizations has accused Turkey of failing to comply with international standards against torture and ill-treatment, according to a new report submitted to the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT).
The report was prepared by the World Organization against Torture (OMCT), the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), the Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV) and the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
The report shows that Turkey has not only neglected CAT’s previous recommendations but has also regressed in several areas, particularly in the conditions of reception and repatriation centers for asylum seekers.
The report has labeled the conditions in these centers as “ill-treatment,” citing that access to certain rights are often at the mercy of staff.
The report also brings to light instances of extra-custodial torture, especially during arrests related to unauthorized demonstrations under Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations. It notes a significant number of cases where allegations of torture and ill-treatment were made during such arrests, often before the official detention period began.
Moreover, the report criticizes the lack of independent oversight mechanisms for monitoring prison and detention center conditions. Despite CAT’s recommendations, Turkey has not improved its prevention mechanisms, and civil society organizations are still denied opportunities to conduct independent monitoring, the report states.
Investigations into torture and ill-treatment claims are another area of concern, with the report highlighting what it describes as a systemic failure to comply with the convention’s standards. It accuses prosecutors of being reluctant to initiate criminal proceedings, even when reliable evidence is presented, leading to a culture of impunity.
The report also points to ongoing ill-treatment of individuals accused of terrorism, including journalists, and human rights defenders, citing cases like those of Osman Kavala, Eren Keskin and Selçuk Kozağaçlı. The legal harassment and prolonged processes faced by these groups, the report argues, amount to forms of torture and ill-treatment.
Conditions in prisons, especially for political prisoners, are another significant concern. The report describes intensified repression against dissidents, leading to unequal treatment in communication, socialization and access to healthcare. It also highlights severe violations involving ill detainees, including those who are terminally ill or whose health conditions are incompatible with prison conditions.
The administrations of penitentiary institutions are criticized for their arbitrary decisions, particularly in decisions affecting detainees’ rights and conditional release. The judicial mechanisms meant to oversee these actions are described as issuing blanket rejections without proper reasoning, denying detainees any meaningful redress for torture and ill-treatment.
Lastly, the report raises alarms about conditions at theİmralıIsland prison, noting that no news has been received for over 38 months from prisoners held there. The report describes ongoing incommunicado detention and severe violations of the prohibition of discrimination and torture.
