’Beyoğlu’s police mistreats suspects’
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Göksel Bozkurt
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 12, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Police stationed at the Beyoğlu police station in central Istanbul have mistreated suspects and used violence against them, says a report prepared by Parliament’s Human Rights Commission. The report also criticizes the police station’s chief officer of poor administration.
According to a report prepared by Parliament’s Human Rights Commission, police officers stationed in the Istanbul district of Beyoğlu have mistreated suspects and have used violence against them.
"Beyoğlu Police Office personnel have aroused concern and awareness by acting unlawfully in choosing to interrogate individuals, and perhaps punish them, in the police vehicle, and during the action, aim to transform these acts into administrative procedures," read the report, which was prepared by a team led by commission head Zafer Üskül, a Justice and Development Party, or AKP, deputy. The report was prepared in response to events including the physical punishment of Mehmet Aras and his son, the battery of Hakim Adlığ, and the treatment of Çağdaş Kulaçatan, who had a warrant out for his arrest.
"Despite all the new configurations made on legal topics lately, we have come across certain incidents where some public officers may demonstrate actions or behaviors that might be considered ill treatment or torture," the report said. "The claim of battery incidents toward Şah Mehmet Aras, his son Serhat Aras and Hakim Adlığ by the police officers who were on duty at the Beyoğlu Police Office are among these cases."
Noting that the main duty of a police officer is to maintain public order, the report warned: "The police should not become the destroyer of public order so as to take revenge. In a place where someone serving as a police officer despises a person, even if that person acts cruel or harms himself or a friend, neither public order nor security can be maintained."
The report also stated that Adlığ he was exposed to cruel treatment because the police officer involved had made the assumption that the suspect was the person who had attacked him and his friend.
The commission’s report emphasized that the police should investigate the claims of torture and infliction of cruel treatment, and that there should be an effective investigation in order to ascertain who imposed these treatments and who allowed them. "Our commission is also concerned that the police officers do not show the necessary care and effectiveness during the interrogation of subjects, and also that those who impose violence have the benefit of not being punished," it stated.
Chief also criticized
The parliamentary report also criticized Yusuf Yüksel, the chief officer of the Beyoğlu police station, for ineffective administration. "The chief has not investigated the incidents thoroughly," the report said. "Even though he has asked his assistants to investigate the cases, none of the officers accepted the claims. Chief Yusuf Yüksel should have known that even if an officer were responsible for these acts, they would not admit responsibility."
The report added that the administrative investigations led by the Istanbul Governorship and the county police office have not been implemented promptly, noting, "Our commission is also deeply concerned that currently there are not any effective administrative investigations being followed."
"Beyoğlu Police Office personnel have aroused concern and awareness by acting unlawfully in choosing to interrogate individuals, and perhaps punish them, in the police vehicle, and during the action, aim to transform these acts into administrative procedures," read the report, which was prepared by a team led by commission head Zafer Üskül, a Justice and Development Party, or AKP, deputy. The report was prepared in response to events including the physical punishment of Mehmet Aras and his son, the battery of Hakim Adlığ, and the treatment of Çağdaş Kulaçatan, who had a warrant out for his arrest.
"Despite all the new configurations made on legal topics lately, we have come across certain incidents where some public officers may demonstrate actions or behaviors that might be considered ill treatment or torture," the report said. "The claim of battery incidents toward Şah Mehmet Aras, his son Serhat Aras and Hakim Adlığ by the police officers who were on duty at the Beyoğlu Police Office are among these cases."
Noting that the main duty of a police officer is to maintain public order, the report warned: "The police should not become the destroyer of public order so as to take revenge. In a place where someone serving as a police officer despises a person, even if that person acts cruel or harms himself or a friend, neither public order nor security can be maintained."
The report also stated that Adlığ he was exposed to cruel treatment because the police officer involved had made the assumption that the suspect was the person who had attacked him and his friend.
The commission’s report emphasized that the police should investigate the claims of torture and infliction of cruel treatment, and that there should be an effective investigation in order to ascertain who imposed these treatments and who allowed them. "Our commission is also concerned that the police officers do not show the necessary care and effectiveness during the interrogation of subjects, and also that those who impose violence have the benefit of not being punished," it stated.
Chief also criticized
The parliamentary report also criticized Yusuf Yüksel, the chief officer of the Beyoğlu police station, for ineffective administration. "The chief has not investigated the incidents thoroughly," the report said. "Even though he has asked his assistants to investigate the cases, none of the officers accepted the claims. Chief Yusuf Yüksel should have known that even if an officer were responsible for these acts, they would not admit responsibility."
The report added that the administrative investigations led by the Istanbul Governorship and the county police office have not been implemented promptly, noting, "Our commission is also deeply concerned that currently there are not any effective administrative investigations being followed."