Death squads in Turkey

5.12.2005

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4719/05
by Philip Claeys (NI)
to the Council

Human rights organisations have already in the past referred to the existence of death squads in Turkey which carry out political assassinations. These death squads allegedly operate on behalf of the ‘deep state’, a structure made up of networks which, officially, do not exist and which, without been subject to any controls, take action against those described as ‘enemies of the State’.

On 9 November a man died in an attack on a Kurdish bookshop in the town of Semdinli. The Flemish newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen has described the incident as follows: ‘a person whose identity was unknown threw a hand grenade into the shop and ran away. The bookseller and several passers‑by immediately followed the man and grabbed him as he was attempting to make his escape in a waiting car. Two other people, who — it later turned out — were paramilitary police officers, were sitting in the car. The perpetrator was a former member of the PKK, who was now working for the police. In the car there were three Kalashnikovs, a hand grenade and floor plans of the bookshop and of another building in Semdinli which had already been the target of an attack on 1 November, an attack subsequently blamed on “Kurdish separatists”. There was also a list containing the names of suspects against whom action should be taken.’

A few days later riots broke out following the news that the two officers had been released. In Yüksekova three demonstrators were shot dead by the police.

Has the Council already asked the Turkish Government for explanations with regard to the existence and activities of death squads operating in Turkey? What conclusions has the Council drawn?

Has the Council already taken up the issue of the shooting dead of demonstrators, such as happened in Yüksekova, with the Turkish Government? How frequently does this type of incident occur?

OJ C 327, 30/12/2006