11,668 people were tortured under AKP rule
On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu announced the report on torture cases that took place throughout AKP’s rule from year 2002 to 2015. Expressing that 11,668 people were tortured during this time period, Tanrıkulu said, “Torture has become a part of a government policy under AKP rule.”
BİRGÜN / ANKARA
CHP Party Council Member and İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu gave statements on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, which was declared by the UN to be held every year on the 26th of June. In his statements, Tanrıkulu asserted that torture and maltreatment has persisted all throughout AKP rule as a part of the government policy. Tanrıkulu announced the reports on torture cases between the years of 2002 and 2015 under AKP rule as the following:
“The AKP government, which deceives the public by using the rhetoric of ‘zero tolerance for torture’ and by yelling out about rights, laws, and justice on the podiums but torturing people in practice, has actually been torturing all citizens of the country who are not obeying him. In the year of 2002, 988 people; in 2003, 600 people – out of which 72 were children-; in 2004, 193; in 2005, 988; in 2006, 339; in 2007, 320; in 2008, 269; in 2009, 259; in 2010, 228; in 2011, 243; in 2012, 323; in 2013, 228; in 2014, 1039; and in 2015, 5671 people, totaling up to 11,668, have been subject to torture and maltreatment. And, the number of torture cases that took place in jails and other places are not included in this.”
‘Torture is being used to stay in power’
Adding that AKP has been leading policies which led to a terryfying increase of torture cases within the past two years, Tanrıkulu said, “During the time when AKP came into power, the number of torture cases were around 900. However, by the year 2015, this has reached a horrific number of 5,671. Even this by itself is enough to reveal the real face of AKP, which imposes torture against the opposers in order to stay in power. While usage of torture has continued persistently althroughout the AKP governments, this ‘stability’ has overpassed, within the past two or three years, even the conditions of a martial law.”
‘Detention of Fincancı is a signal’
Tanrıkulu said that the detention of Şebnem Korur Fincancı, the chair of Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, an organization that carries out effective programs for the rehabilitation of victims of torture, was meaningful. He added, “Jailing of Fincanci is a messege, a reward presented to the torturers. There has to be a prompt end on this unlawful detention. Torture is an attack on human dignity and, in terms of human rights laws, it is forbidden in such a way that does not tolerate any exception.”
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/akp-iktidarinda-11-bin-668-kisi-iskence-gordu-117818.html