On the anniversary of 26 June 1987, the date on which Turkey signed the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the United Nations (UN) declared this date the "International Day in Support of Victims of Torture" in 1997. Within this scope, the Human Rights Association (İHD), the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) and many human rights organizations made statements in the cities of Ankara, Amed (Diyarbakır), Dêrsim (Tunceli), Adana, Hatay, Mersin and Istanbul.

 

The statements noted that torture and mistreatment in Turkey has maintained its existence as a systematic state practice throughout the history of the Republic, and that in recent periods access to lawyers, doctors and relatives has been blocked during detentions, detention periods have been arbitrarily extended, and legal guarantees have been violated.

 

 

The statements noted that the prohibition of torture is absolute in the basic principles of modern criminal law, and that this boundary is being eroded in Turkey. Stating that torture is not merely the result of a momentary outburst of anger but also aims to discipline social opposition and manage fear, the statements said: "No government will be able to escape the shameful pages of history by legitimizing acts of torture with the wrapping of 'security policy.'"