This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 16 ANKARA 002478 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF TU TIP IN TURKEY
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: TURKISH MEDIA ATTENTION, April 1-15, 
2006 
 
¶1.  In response to G/TIP inquiries, national and 
international media sources published the following articles 
about TIP in Turkey.  Text of articles originally published 
in Turkish is provided through unofficial Embassy 
translation. 
 
¶2.  Published by Vatan on Monday, April 3: 
 
TITLE:  Mobile Wedding Camouflages Prostitution 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  It was determined that prostitution gangs in 
big cities such as Istanbul and Ankara were making women 
from the Eastern Bloc countries marry street children and 
thus avoid their deportation by obtaining Turkish 
citizenship for them.  "Vatan" learned about these "fast" 
marriages and found the "husbands" who were convinced to 
marry in return for 100 YTL (about 80 USD).  Thus, they shed 
light on the details of such marriages.  It was determined 
that many of the street children over 18 were used for such 
marriages. 
 
Cuneyt Yildiz from Dogubeyazit, Agri, too, is one of them. 
Yildiz got the offer from a friend doing on his eighth year 
on the streets in 2003.  His friend asked, "You are marrying 
a foreign woman and they pay you 100 YTL.  Are you 
interested?"  He accepted the offer immediately without much 
thinking and he followed his friend to a gathering place in 
Dolapdere (Istanbul).  There, a well-dressed man and three 
children whom he knew from the streets were waiting.  They 
went to a photographer.  After getting their pictures taken, 
they took a cab.  They stopped in front of a textile plant 
in Caglayan.  On the second floor of the plant, there were 
150 very pretty women and some men who looked like they were 
Mafia members.  There were a lot of substance addicts in 
rags as well.  Cuneyt said, "For 100 YTL we would marry and 
get a divorce in three months.  They also offered 2400 
Euros.  They asked us to pick a girl.  I picked a blonde.  I 
was feeling dizzy anyway.  I wanted to take the money and 
leave immediately. Later somebody came.  He was the marriage 
magistrate.  We signed the book and left." 
 
Other children, too, tell similar stories.  Only the 
addresses where marriages took place and the provinces are 
different.  For example, marriages that took place in 
Caglayan look as though they were in Batman, those in 
Gungoren in Adana, and those in Cevizlibag in Gemlik. 
 
It is understood that marriage magistrates from other 
provinces come to Istanbul with their official marriage 
books, and, after performing these marriages, they go back 
to their towns.  According to "Vatan" research, it was N.T. 
from the Batman Municipality and O.A. from the Gemlik 
Municipality who officiated such marriages in Batman, Bursa 
and Seyhan.  It was also determined that these two people in 
the past forged marriages with foreign women and that they 
were under investigation. 
 
Following his marriage, Cuneyt, with the support of Yusuf 
Kulca, President of the Children of Hope Foundation, 
received treatment and returned to his family.  When he 
decided to marry, he remembered his fraudulent marriage.  He 
immediately returned to Istanbul and went to the population 
registrant's office.  He learned what he was afraid to hear: 
he was still married.  According to the registration, he 
married in Batman and it was registered in that province's 
population registration.  Now he is trying to get a divorce. 
 
Emre Ture said, "We were in Dolmabahce in 2003 and we were 
high.  A friend named Feristah came and said, `You could 
marry a foreign woman for three months and you get paid both 
while marrying and while getting a divorce.  Are you 
interested?'  I agreed.  Other friends, too, agreed.  After 
we got our pictures taken, we got married at the Tercuman 
houses in Cevizlibag."  END TEXT. 
 
¶3.  Published by Sabah on Wednesday, April 5: 
 
TITLE:  We were kept in the same room with Natashas 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  Didem Aksu, who was detained during the 
prostitution operation, told us what she went through.  She 
said, "I knew these people who were presented as 
prostitution barons as managers of artists.  They bargained 
with businessmen without notifying us.  We were detained 
when my name and Ece Gursel's name were mentioned during 
phone conversations.  Just like Ece, they said I could file 
a court case against these people.  The police set Gursel 
free, but they sent the rest of us to the venereal disease 
hospital.  There we were kept in the same room with 
Natashas.  It was not fair."  END TEXT. 
¶4.  Published by Sabah on Wednesday, April 5: 
TITLE:  Models released, soccer players testified 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  Following the testimony of 22 models, soccer 
players, too, testified.  The soccer players came to the 
police department late in the evening to avoid the media. 
 
The 22 models who were detained during the Vice Squad's 
Barbie Operation were released after completing the 
necessary paperwork.  Following their testimony, several 
soccer players were invited in.  They arrived late in order 
not to be caught by journalists.  Meanwhile, the 
interrogation of four people who were allegedly involved in 
prostitution, including one woman, continued. 
 
Nine people, including Sinem Umas, a participant of the TV 
program, "Will you be my bride?" and Hulya Yamanoglu from 
"Somebody is watching us," and singer Fulden Uras, were 
taken to the venereal disease hospital to get a medical 
check-up at 19:00 hrs the other evening.  The second group 
was taken to the hospital the same night around 01:30 hrs. 
The last group was taken during the morning hours yesterday. 
Models, including Hulya Yamanoglu, answered questions as 
they were taken to the hospital.  Yamanoglu did not accept 
the allegations and said, "A friend's phone book had many 
numbers and that was why I was invited to give my 
testimony." 
 
Muge Uras, mother of Fulden Uras, who was taken to the 
hospital, said, "They let Ece Gursel go and detained my 
daughter.  They are taking her to this hospital as if she 
has committed a very bad crime." 
 
Dincer D. has connections with Ejder T., who was arrested in 
connection with a raid called Operation Cat one and a half 
months ago.  Dincer D. was detained for marketing women. 
After Dincer D., police also reached women traffickers 
Bulent T., Suat Y. and Aysel T.  END TEXT. 
 
¶5.  Published by Sabah on Wednesday, April 5: 
 
TITLE:  What do jurists say? 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  Detention of models for alleged prostitution 
brought an old controversy back on the agenda.  Jurists 
commented on the question of whether a man who pays for 
prostitution and a woman who is involved in prostitution 
would get punished.  Only encouraging and mediating for 
prostitution is a crime. 
 
Associate Professor Adem Sozuer, Faculty of Law, Istanbul 
University:  "According to the penal code, only mediating 
and encouraging prostitution is a crime.  It is out of the 
question to punish a person who prostitutes for money.  The 
law foresees treatment for such people and no punishment. 
The same thing is true for men who are involved in 
prostitution in return for money." 
 
Associate Professor Umit Kocasakal, Faculty of Law, 
Galatasaray University:  "According to the law, not the 
prostitution, but encouraging people into prostitution is a 
crime.  So there is no punishment for men and women who are 
involved in prostitution in return for money.  I believe 
those who were detained were taken into custody for other 
reasons.  There are certain procedures concerning venereal 
diseases.  Nothing else.  One needs to know the details of 
the incident." 
 
Professor Bahri Ozturk, Faculty of Law:  "Being involved in 
prostitution is not a crime according to the penal code.  In 
other words, there is no punishment for men and women who 
are involved in prostitution.  Encouraging and mediating for 
prostitution is a crime.  Clients are not prosecuted.  If 
the detained women were involved only in prostitution, then 
they should not be subject to any legal action."  END TEXT. 
 
¶6.  Reported by Hurriyet on Thursday, April 6: 
 
TITLE:  Those detained in the Barbie Operation can sue 
officials 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The Barbie Operation, which was conducted as a 
result of the testimony of suspects detained in a drug raid 
and after phone tapping, led to controversy.  Famous singers 
and models claimed that the police exposed them without any 
evidence and expressed their distress.  Jurists argued that 
the treatment of the women was against domestic and 
international law.  They said that those who were detained 
had the right to file punitive damage claims.  Attorney Ufuk 
Erkunt told Hurriyet, "Turkey has signed international 
agreements on prostitution.  The Paris Agreement, the 1933 
Geneva Act on trafficking in persons, the 1949 Human 
Trafficking Convention.  According to all these agreements, 
the principle is to prevent the crime and not to accuse the 
women." 
 
"According to Article 227, women are victims.  According to 
the law, they should not be punished, but treated.  These 
provisions do not require punishment for those who are 
involved in prostitution, but to enjoy security measures. 
Those who are responsible are the ones who mediated and 
those who earned a benefit are the mediators." 
 
"Articles 90 and 91 of the Criminal Procedures Law list one 
by one the conditions for detention.  But if the women were 
not responsible for the crime and if they are witnesses, 
they should not have been detained.  It is not legal to take 
them from their homes in the morning.  They can only be 
invited to give their testimony, not as a suspect. 
 
Exposing women on TV and the way the incident was reflected 
in the media were violations of their individual rights, 
which should be under constitutional guarantee.  It is not 
in the regulations to take them to the venereal disease 
hospital.  Each of them can file a punitive damages case for 
the violation of their individual rights."  END TEXT. 
 
¶7.  An op-ed by Ufuk Koroglu, published by Zaman on 
Thursday, April 6: 
 
TITLE:  Some model agencies are like prostitution centers 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  When famous models, singers and actresses of 
the show world were detained and interrogated as part of a 
prostitution operation, people began to focus on the dark 
points of the night life. 
 
The police officials determined that drugs and prostitution 
were an indispensable part of the night life.  A police 
official said, "Drugs and prostitution go hand-in-hand. 
Some of those involved have certain abilities; others are 
pretty, and still others have some unique physical 
characteristics.  They are encouraged by people around them 
to appear on TV and thus become famous.  In the prostitution 
sector, the more famous you are, the higher your price goes. 
Money earned from prostitution is used for drugs." 
 
He added that celebrities regard drugs as an element to 
increase performance.  Friends, too, play an important part. 
"Those that they have around are people who are already 
involved in criminal acts.  Whenever they want, they get 
this substance from those friends," he noted. 
 
Another police official noted that there were many model 
agencies in Istanbul which actually operate as prostitution 
centers.  He said, "Young people who go to an agency to 
become a model are dragged into prostitution.  Girls and 
boys are deliberately put in the same rooms to sleep 
together.  Youngsters who apply to these places to become a 
model are being dragged into prostitution."  Another police 
official added, "They first make drug addicts of girls who 
want to become famous drug addicts.  Thus, they earn money 
both from drugs and prostitution.  They encourage those who 
have talent to appear on TV programs and become known by the 
public.  The more famous a person is, the more his/her price 
goes up.  Money raised from prostitution goes to drugs. 
When police capture them, they get very irritated.  They 
listen to others who say that media attention, whether good 
or bad, is a good thing." 
 
During the prostitution raid by the Public Order Department 
of the Istanbul Police, famous celebrities were detained. 
Twenty women, including, singer Fulden Uras, model and 
singer Berna Arici, her sister Esra Arici, model Gulten 
Kosavali, Aylin Poyraz, Sinem Umas from the TV program, "We 
are Getting Married," Hulya Yamanoglu from the TV program 
"Somebody is watching us," Didem Aksu and presenter Ozlem 
Ertem were interrogated for being together with men in 
return for money.  Meanwhile, during a drug operation last 
week by the Narcotics Police, singer Fatih Urek and belly 
dancer Leyla Adali were taken to the police department to 
testify on whether they were using cocaine. 
 
Police conducted operations against the entertainment world 
not only last week, but earlier.  Celebrities such as 
singers Yildiz Tilbe and Atilla Tas, models Ebru Salli, 
Sevda Demirel, Sinem Uretmen, belly dancers Sibel Gokce and 
Leyla Adali were detained a couple of times for using drugs. 
 
Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah said that some of 
the women who were detained by the Vice Squad during the 
Barbie Operation cried on TV programs and tried to deceive 
the citizens.  He said that one should wait a little bit 
more before making such programs and added, "It will be 
useful to wait for the judicial process."  He answered 
questions by journalists during his press conference 
yesterday.  Upon a question, "Women who were involved in 
this are appearing on some programs and trying to deceive 
the public by crying.  I wish those programs had waited a 
bit longer.  It will be useful to wait for the judicial 
process.  Our public will decide later.  Whether police 
acted partially or did we act when some people were involved 
in certain things?" 
 
When asked about the names of some soccer players who were 
mentioned in connection with the operation, Cerrah said, "If 
there were soccer players involved, I do not want to give 
away their names at this stage.  It is out of the question 
for them to be taken to a hospital for a medical check up." 
END TEXT. 
 
¶8.  Published by The Anatolian Times on Friday, April 7: 
 
TITLE:  Tuzmen Meets Aegean Minister Pavlidis in Athens 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen met Greek 
Minister of Aegean and Island Politics Aristotelis Pavlidis 
in Athens today.  Speaking to reporters after his meeting 
with Pavlidis, Tuzmen stressed that his meeting was 
extremely warm and created an atmosphere of cooperation. 
 
"We talked on the development of trade between cities on the 
Aegean coast and Greek islands.  We focused on how we can 
send fresh vegetables and fruits to the islands," said 
Tuzmen. 
 
Minister Tuzmen noted that delays caused by laboratory tests 
and the issuance of certificates make the trade of fresh 
vegetables and fruits difficult. 
 
"We have invited a Greek delegation of observers who can 
help in overcoming the delays in the food sector.  Trade 
between Turkey and Greece has tripled in the past three 
years.  If we can share the same sea, we can also share the 
global market," expressed Tuzmen. 
 
Tuzmen commented that he will visit Aegean islands with a 
delegation of businessmen in October. 
 
"I believe in the future of Greece.  My Greek counterpart 
Pavlidis believes in the future of Turkey," stated Tuzmen. 
 
According to Pavlidis, Tuzmen and he talked abouton various 
issues, including daily excursions to the Greek islands from 
Turkey and human trafficking from Turkey to Greek islands. 
 
Tuzmen will return to Turkey after attending a lunch hosted 
by Turkish-Greek Business Council Greece Co-chair Panayotis 
Kucikos.  END TEXT. 
 
¶9.  Published by Vatan on Saturday, April 8: 
 
TITLE:  Hulya Yamanoglu, mother of two, who was exposed in 
the "Barbie Operation" said, "My daughter does not talk to 
me and my three-month relationship has ended." 
BEGIN TEXT:  Q:  You were detained during the Istanbul 
police's "Barbie Operation" with the allegation you were 
practicing prostitution.  What happened? 
A:  I woke up at 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning when the door 
bell rang.  I thought that it was the wrong door and looked 
out through the peephole.  There were three people who 
identified themselves as the police.  My son is doing his 
military service and as I opened the door the first thing 
that I thought of was that something had happened to him. 
They said, "Take your phone with you.  We will go to the 
police station.  We cannot say anything more.  We will tell 
you everything there."  They also asked whether my cell 
phone was registered in my name.  When I heard this, I 
thought that it might be an incident over a stolen phone. 
 
Q:  What happened at the police station?  Were you upset 
that you were exposed? 
 
A:  We first went to the Sisli Etfal Hospital to confirm 
that there was no use of force.  They said that we would 
come back after going to the Gayrettepe Police Department. 
When we arrived at the station, an army of journalists were 
waiting at the gate.  People tried to cover their faces.  I 
did not feel the inclination to do so, since I had no idea 
and I did not feel guilty for anything.  The journalists 
told me that I would be taken to the Vice Squad. 
 
Q:  It was reported that 23 people were detained.  Is this 
figure right?  Do you know the others? 
 
A:  I did not count them one by one, but this is the figure 
I know.  Most of my information is from the media or from 
the clubs that I go to get clients.  They took us to the 
detention center by telling us, "There will be an 
announcement, but first let us go downstairs where you will 
be more comfortable and where you can have tea or coffee." 
 
Q:  Have you ever been in a jail before? 
 
A:  This was the first time ever.  I had never experienced 
or seen any such place except for in the movies. 
 
Q:  How did they treat you at the police department?  What 
did you go through? 
 
A:  We generally get scared when we hear about the police or 
a jail, but this was not the case at all.  They treated us 
very nicely.  They kept coming to check on whether we needed 
anything.  Then came the announcement:  "You know some 
people.  Dincer D., Bulent T., Suat Y., and a very fat woman 
named `Deaf Aysel,' whom I had never met before.  They are 
involved in human trafficking.  In the past, you had phone 
conversations with them.  You will testify."  These people 
were under surveillance for eight months and their phones 
were tapped.  They said, "Let nobody deny this since we have 
the phone records."  Each of us testified.  The 
interrogation ended at 03:30 hrs. (the next day).  During 
the interrogation, they said, "You are not criminals.  You 
are here only to testify.  We already apprehended those who 
are responsible.  Why do these people have your phone 
numbers?  How close are you to them?  Were you hurt?  Do you 
want to file an official complaint?  We want to know this." 
 
Q:  Did they want you to file an official complaint? 
 
A:  The more people who file complaints, the more apparent 
the crimes will be.  The police thanked me for being open. 
When I said that I would not file a complaint, they said, 
"You hurt us.  We expected you to file such a complaint." 
This was such a big blow to me. 
 
Q:  Was there anyone who admitted that she was involved in 
prostitution through these people? 
 
A:  There were some people within that group.  There were 
those who admitted that this is what happened.  I heard from 
them later that such things were done in return for $300-500 
or $1000-2000. 
 
Q:  How did you meet the men who allegedly were involved in 
trafficking in women? 
A:  I knew the three names mentioned, except for Aysel T. 
There are some night clubs, particularly in Taksim, that I 
visit.  They were among the groups that I met there and said 
"hello" to each other. 
 
Q:  How did they find your phone number? 
 
A:  I am the management director of a place.  I give 
everyone my business card.  Each person I meet is a 
potential client. 
 
Q:  How did the most recent incident affect you? 
 
A:  I was on the verge of quitting since I could not manage 
to get enough clients to go to the place.  When this 
incident happened, my boss did not call me.  My daughter 
does not speak to me.  She is doing this, not because she 
does not believe in me, but because she does not know how to 
explain this to others.  I lost my three-month affair.  My 
mother cried a lot and I am afraid something may happen to 
her since she has high blood pressure. 
 
Q:  You are living in a luxurious apartment in Etiler. 
 
A:  Currently I cannot pay my bills.  I have been living in 
this house for seven years.  The normal rent for my place 
begins at 1,300 YTL (a little under $1,000).  Since I am a 
long-term tenant, my rent is half that price.  My landlord 
is very nice.  I now am in a position not to be able to give 
pocket money to my daughter and not to be able to send any 
money to my son.  I even am in debt to the grocer. 
 
Q:  Did you talk to Suat Y. frequently? 
 
A:  He called every now and again, but not more than five 
times total.  He came over to my house once to have coffee. 
I went to his place as well.  He lives in Ulus. He was very 
hospitable. 
 
Q:  Did you learn that Suat Y. was a pimp when you were 
detained? 
 
A:  One day we met again at the club.  Somebody at my table 
said, "Where did you meet this man?  Do you not know what 
his profession is?  He is a pimp.  Do not be very close to 
him."  I responded, "He does not look like one.  Are you 
sure?"  I suffered a lot because of prejudices stemming from 
the Big Brother House.  He later called me one more time and 
offered to introduce me to some people.  When I refused, he 
said, "I have a very good friend.  May I give him your phone 
number?  Can he call you as a friend?"  Since I did not see 
any harm, I said he could. 
 
Q:  Was he Dincer D.? 
 
A:  Dincer D. called me a week later.  He said that there 
were a lot of people at the night club who wondered whether 
I would be involved in such a thing and since I exchanged 
pleasantries with them, those people told him that they had 
a crush on me.  He told me that although I was not involved 
in such a thing, would I consider being involved. 
 
Q:  Did you not show any reaction to these people since you 
were afraid of them? 
 
A: I was not afraid at all, but after Dincer D.'s phone 
call, I felt uneasy.  I called Suat Y. and told him that 
this was not the type of conversation I would have and that 
even if I were starving, I would not do such a thing.  I 
asked him to tell that to Dincer D.  They never called me 
again.  Months later, we bumped into each other a few times. 
We only exchanged greetings. 
 
Q:  What do Suat Y. and Dincer D. look like? 
 
A:  Suat is 28 years old.  He is good looking.  He has a 
clean face.  Looks like a model.  Dincer D. is a man who 
laughs a lot.  He has bright eyes.  I believe he must be 
around 30. 
 
Q:  Are these people working as an organization? 
 
A:  I have had meetings with Suat Y. and Dincer D.  It was 
around eight months ago.  I was unemployed and in a 
difficult situation.  First Suat Y. called me.  After asking 
how I was, he said, "Hulya, you are a pretty woman.  I have 
some people around me.  We like you.  We know that you are 
having hard times.  Are you interested in meeting these 
men?"  Since he was a very decent person who spoke politely, 
I kindly said, "Thank you.  How thoughtful of you."  He 
said, "I checked.  Everybody says that Hulya does not do 
this for money.  She wants love.  That is why she is having 
a hard time.  She is stupid."  He also asked whether there 
was anybody in my life.  When I said there was not, he 
suggested introducing me to some people who would relieve me 
financially.  I told him, "It is not in my spirit.  I am a 
very natural woman.  If I was going to do it, I would have 
done it when I was younger.  I have two children. One of 
them is in the military." 
 
Q:  Why did you talk for such a long time to a person who 
made such an indecent proposal? 
 
A:  We were not close at all.  But since he was very polite, 
I could not respond impolitely.  I did not know then that he 
was doing this type of work. 
 
Q:  Did you not find the proposal strange? 
 
A:  No.  He watched me on the Big Brother House.  He thought 
that I was a very sweet woman who suffered a lot and 
wondered why I was not happy.  I did not feel suspicious at 
all.  He was talking to me in a friendly fashion.  END TEXT. 
 
¶10.  Reported by the Turkish Daily News on Sunday, April 9: 
 
TITLE:  UN in charge of creating "Women First Cities" in 
Turkey 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  "Through this program, we aim at improving 
political and budgetary commitment and at increasing the 
ability of local government and NGOs to promote and protect 
women and girls' rights and raise local awareness about 
women and girls' rights," say UN Joint Program Manager 
Senol. 
 
Can a democratic country afford to be gender blind?  Does 
Turkey, a country moving ahead toward becoming a member of 
the European Union for the democratic future of its own 
people, have the luxury of being gender blind? 
 
Replying "no" in response to the questions above, resources 
from the United Nations, bilateral donors and the private 
sector and partners with the Interior Ministry have been 
combined through a joint UN program designed in line with 
the principle that involving women and men in decision- 
making processes is a sine qua non in a democratic society. 
 
Last month, the day before marking the March 8 International 
Women's Day in the Turkish capital, the historicalal Ankara 
Palace hosted a ceremony for the launching of the program. 
The two-year UN Joint Gender Program was publicly launched 
by Kemal Dervis, the Turkish head of the United Nations 
Development Program (UNDP), in front of 300 members of 
Parliament, mayors, senior government officials, 
nongovernmental organizations, ambassadors, UN staff and 
representatives of the press. 
 
Nearly one month has passed since the launch of the program. 
UN Joint Program Manager Nevin Senol, during an interview 
with the Turkish Daily News, sounded hopeful and determined 
about the program that is currently ongoing in six different 
cities - Izmir, Kars, Van, Sanliurfa, Nevsehir and Trabzon - 
in order to promote and protect women and girls' human 
rights through activities. 
 
"Through this program, we aim at improving political and 
budgetary commitment and at increasing the ability of local 
government and NGOs to promote and protect women and girls' 
rights and raise local awareness about women and girls' 
rights," Senol said. 
 
In brief, what the program is trying to realize is 
simultaneously increasing local ability while also changing 
the deeply rooted male-centered stance among local 
administrations. 
 
The joint program is supported by the UN agencies and 
international organizations that have offices in Turkey: 
UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, UNHCR, WHO, FAO, IOM and UNFPA. 
 
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Turkey office, 
where Senol is currently working, is also the executive 
agency of the program. 
 
Turkey must obviously strive for equality and the 
representation of women and men in decision-making processes 
and take the opportunities to achieve both these goals.  It 
has overhauled its civil and penal codes to increase the 
rights of women and children.  It has recognized rape in 
marriage and sexual harassment as crimes and has included 
tougher measures against rape, pedophilia, human trafficking 
and torture. 
 
The country is, however, struggling to stem the practice of 
"honor killings" - the killing of girls or women by 
relatives for allegedly disgracing the family.  Women's 
groups say domestic violence levels are high. 
 
Police figures released earlier this year showed that close 
to 2,000 people had been killed in Turkey in the past six 
years as victims of honor killings or blood feuds. 
 
A thorny path towards "deep change of mentality": 
 
Only a day before the UN joint program was launched, a 
senior EU official praised legal reforms that have been 
carried out in Turkey to improve the rights of women, 
however, warned at the same time that Turkey also needed a 
"change of mentality" regarding the general approach towards 
women. 
 
Vladimir Spidla, the EU commissioner for employment, social 
affairs and equal opportunity, was speaking at a press 
conference in Ankara, where he arrived over the weekend to 
support women ahead of the March 8 International Women's 
Day.  Last year, Turkish police severely beat women 
demonstrators during a protest march organized to mark the 
day, sparking condemnation from the EU. 
 
"Of course Turkey has made huge progress, but there is a 
need for a deep change of mentality," toward women, Spidla 
said. 
 
"The issue of equal opportunity is an essential component in 
your country's preparations for future EU accession.  The 
timing of my visit also reflects the importance that the 
European Commission attaches to this issue, as a date close 
to International Women's Day was deliberately chosen," 
Spidla said at a seminar ahead of the press conference. 
 
The UN Joint Gender Program that is being implemented by the 
United Nations, the Ministry of the Interior and the 
Association for Training and Supporting Women Candidates (KA- 
DER) will hopefully carry out the "deep change of mentality" 
that was appropriately addressed by Spidla. 
 
Senol explained that the six cities involved in the program 
were chosen according to municipal interest and ability to 
participate in the program and perceived needs as expressed 
in preliminary city visits.  These cities were selected to 
demonstrate how participatory and coordinated cross-sectoral 
approaches can improve services, augment resource 
availability and improve the lives of girls and women in a 
variety of settings. 
 
Priority actions are being identified through a 
participatory planning process involving all stakeholders. 
These priority areas are being drawn from the following: 
education, employment, reproductive health, violence against 
women, trafficking, asylum seekers, refugees and internally 
displaced people. 
 
"Once identified, stakeholders will work together to design 
five-year local action plans," Senol said. 
 
The program will also support the start-up of local action 
plan implementation.  By the end of the program a financial 
national scaling-up model will be in place and the six 
cities will be evaluated for certification as "Women First 
Cities" based on commonly agreed-upon criteria.  END TEXT. 
 
¶11.  Reported by Hurriyet on Monday, April 10: 
 
TITLE:  They cut the throat of the girl who ran away from 
home 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The body found in the woods around Sivritepe on 
the Datca Highway was that of Done Bicer (17), who ran away 
from her home in Ortaca 15 days ago. 
 
It was determined that she was forced into prostitution and 
when she objected, she was stabbed seven times in the chest. 
Her throat was cut as well. 
 
In connection with the incident, women named M.Y. (30), Y.O. 
(20) and C.O. (25) were detained in the Beldibi district and 
they were sent to the judicial hall on manslaughter and 
forcing a minor into prostitution charges.  END TEXT. 
 
¶12.  Reported by Zaman on Monday, April 10: 
 
TITLE:  Girl slain by prostitution gang 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The body found next to the Marmara-Datca 
Highway belonged to Done Bicer (17), who had run away from 
home 15 days ago.  In connection with the incident, three 
people, including one woman, were captured.  Bicer's family 
had notified the police of her disappearance. 
 
Bicer went to Marmaris and met with M.Y. (30), Y.O. (25), 
and his sister C.O. (20), who forced her into prostitution. 
After being with some men, Bicer refused to be involved in 
prostitution and argued.  Those individuals reportedly 
killed Bicer since she might have tipped off security 
forces.  The three reportedly confessed their crime and 
after would be sent to the court after interrogation.  END 
TEXT. 
 
¶13.  Reported by Radikal on Wednesday, April 12: 
 
TITLE:  Models Victimized 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  In the indictment, the women who were taken 
from their homes and exposed as they came to the police 
department during the prostitution operation code-named 
"Barbie," were mentioned as victims. 
 
A total of up to 64 years' imprisonment was demanded for 
four people who forced them into prostitution. 
 
Twenty-three women, who were detained during a police 
operation last week and among whom were some famous people, 
tried to hide their faces as they were taken out of the 
police car. 
 
When the exposure of the women at the police station was 
criticized, Istanbul provincial police chief Celalettin 
Cerrah responded saying, "The police will not expose 
honorable people." 
 
The women said that they would sue the Interior Ministry and 
those who gave out their names.  END TEXT. 
 
¶14.  Reported by Sabah and Hurriyet on Wednesday, April 12: 
 
TITLE:  Disclosed names are victims in the case 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul 
Public Chief Prosecutor, it was stated that the phones of 
Dincer Dincsoy, Suat Yildiz and Bulent Tetik were tapped by 
the police from July 29, 2005 to February 24, 2006.  It was 
noted that the suspects used their cell phones for the 
victims and served as mediator and bargained for them to be 
involved in prostitution in return for money. 
 
It was also stated that the suspects made some of the 
victims use their own houses for prostitution, in return for 
living expenses.  The suspects will be tried on charges of 
encouraging and mediating prostitution and for providing 
locations for this purpose. 
Imprisonment from 32 to 64 years was demanded for Dincer 
Dincsoy, from 14 to 28 years for Bulent Tetik and 24 to 48 
years for Suat Yildiz.  Aysel Erentok, the suspect who was 
released pending trial, will face 2 to 4 years' 
imprisonment. 
 
The victims are:  (A list of 22 names of victims given). 
 
In the indictment, the names of the following soccer players 
were mentioned as witnesses:  (5 soccer players' names were 
given). 
 
Other witnesses were:  (7 names given). 
 
Taped conversations. 
 
July 23, 2005, 23:29 hours:  A soccer player asked the pimp 
to send him a woman.  He proposed a name, but the soccer 
player said that he liked other women.  The same day he 
called another woman on her cell phone.  He asked whether 
she could go.  She said that right at that time she was 
going to Reina (expensive and exclusive Istanbul nightclub) 
and that she could go later. 
 
July 30, 2005, 15:47 hours:  The soccer player asked him to 
send him one of the women that he always sees.  The pimp 
called a woman and told her that the soccer player was 
waiting for her.  She accepted.  She asked for the apartment 
number of the soccer player.  She was told that the soccer 
player would send $300 by two people after the business was 
concluded. 
 
August 12, 2005, 07:00 hours:  The soccer player said that 
he would be in Turkey at 06:00 hours the next day and asked 
for the girl "from Germany" to be kept ready. 
 
September 13, 2005, 00:11 hours:  The pimp sent a message to 
the soccer player and notified him that he would give $400 
to the girl and $100 to him and added, "You would love this 
baby." 
 
August 1, 2005, 00:21 hours:  A woman who called the pimp 
asked for a girl for two hours and offered $300.  At 00:34 
hours the girl, "X," called the pimp and listed her 
hesitations for entering into a lesbian relationship.  She 
asked the pimp to explain to the client that she might be 
acting too enthusiastic/willing for this reason. 
 
August 8, 2005, 15:55 hours:  The pimp called a woman and 
notified her that the 30th richest man in India would be in 
Turkey on Wednesday and that he gave the names of two women. 
The woman said that the man gave a lot of money and that she 
could also take a third person. 
 
Experts:  Police acted unlawfully 
 
Jurists bitterly criticized the police operation.  Despite 
announcements by the police, names of the women were 
mentioned as victims in the indictment. 
 
Kazim Kolcuoglu, President of the Istanbul Bar Association: 
According to laws, prostitution is not a crime, but 
mediating for prostitution is.  For capturing mediators, 
there should be victims involved.  There must be people who 
are used.  The way these women were detained was very wrong 
according to the new penal code.  It was against the 
constitution and the Human Rights Convention as well.  Since 
it involves an investigation, you cannot detain them.  Now 
they show them as victims.  How can this happen?  While 
preparing the document, the police spoke with slang and not 
with the words of the law.  All of those women should sue 
(the police). 
 
Yucel Sayman, Former President of the Istanbul Bar 
Association:  Police always behave like this.  They 
interpret the law for themselves.  It is not correct legally 
speaking.  It was also seen as an effort to intimidate these 
people.  If they sue them for compensation for interfering 
into their private lives, they would win.  It is unlawful 
for them to be forced into the venereal disease hospital. 
END TEXT. 
 
¶15.  Reported by Aksam on Wednesday, April 12: 
 
TITLE:  First exposed, then called a victim 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  In the indictment of the Istanbul Chief Public 
Prosecutor, it was stated that the phones of Dincer D., Suat 
Y., and Bulent T. were tapped from July 29, 2005 to February 
24, 2006. 
 
As a result of tapping, it was determined that they 
encouraged victims to be involved in prostitution, in return 
for money, and that they provided mediation and the medium 
for prostitution. 
 
According to the indictment, these three suspects were 
bargaining and mediating for the victims to be involved in 
prostitution with men.  They brought some of the victims 
together with men and allowed their houses to be used for 
their meetings.  The suspects took some of the money that 
the victims received for prostitution.  Aysel E. also 
mediated for prostitution. 
 
Up to four years imprisonment was demanded for the four 
suspects.  It was also requested that Dincer D. be punished 
separately for 16 victims, Suat Y. for 12 victims, and 
Bulent T. for seven victims.  Ayse E. would also be punished 
based on the same article. 
 
In the indictment, the 23 models and singers who allegedly 
were involved in prostitution, based on Article 223, were 
referred to as victims. 
 
Article 223 of the Turkish Penal Code considers women who 
are forced into prostitution as victims.  END TEXT. 
 
¶16.  Op-ed piece written by Balcicek Pamir and published in 
Sabah on Wednesday, April 12: 
 
TITLE:  If a victim, what kind of treatment is this? 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  What did the Istanbul Police Chief say?  "Our 
police definitely would not like to expose honorable/honest 
people." 
 
I mean the . . . operation conducted by the Vice Squad. 
Remember the women detained for having sex with famous 
people?  I can not spell out the name of the operation 
because the company (Barbie) objected.  They certainly are 
right.  The little girls' dolls are mentioned along with 
prostitution.  Can you believe it? 
 
Let us talk about Celallettin Cerah's reference to 
"honorable/honest people."  He already reached a conviction. 
He decided on who is a criminal and who is honest.  He also 
added, "It is very useful to wait for the judicial process." 
Cerrah can wait for the result.  Yesterday there was another 
development and 144 years were demanded for the suspects in 
the operation.  Everyone might have thought that Cerrah was 
right.  But do not.  Only four people were detained during 
that operation.  Charges of encouraging and mediating for 
prostitution, and providing venues for these acts were 
filed.  Imprisonment from 72 to 144 years was demanded. 
What about the women? 
 
Those models, TV stars and presenters.  Hold on to your 
seats.  The 23 women whose names were mentioned in the 
operation were considered as victims.  Even when the police 
claimed that they were dishonorable/dishonest! 
 
Is there prostitution?  How deep were these women involved? 
I do not know.  I am curious about something else. 
 
If you are going to call all these women victims, why did 
you project the image that they were prostitutes?  Were they 
victims or prostitutes? 
 
The four suspects carried out the bargaining in the name of 
the victims.  They mediated for the prostitution of the 
victims.  Some of them even allowed the use of their houses. 
Did they receive money in return?  Certainly. 
 
Let us look at the other victims.  A few soccer players, a 
former minister, a former president of a sports club.  What 
did they do?  They got to meet these women through those 
four people who are on trial and facing 144 years in jail. 
They bargained and they have been with these women.  That is 
not what I am saying.  This is the allegation.  Neither 
their names, nor their pictures were disclosed.  Nobody sent 
them to a hospital for a medical check-up.  They spent the 
night at home with their wives.  Some of them might have 
taken their wives to Paper Moon for dinner.  It is in 
fashion now, you know.  Be disloyal to your wife and take 
her out to dinner in the evening. 
 
What did the police chief say?  "I do not want to disclose 
the names of the soccer players at this stage."  Why?  Are 
those the real victims?  END TEXT. 
¶17.  Reported by Vatan on Wednesday, April 12: 
 
TITLE:  Officially victims 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  In the very controversial Barbie Operation's 
indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public 
Prosecutor, the names of 23 women including celebrities such 
as Fulden Uras, Sinem Umas and Hulya Yamanoglu were 
mentioned as victims.  The indictment stated that the phones 
of Dincer Dincsoy, Suat Yildiz and Bulent Tetik were tapped 
from July 29, 2005 to February 24, 2006, by Istanbul police 
teams.  It was stated that the suspects, on various 
occasions through their cell phones, mediated and bargained 
for the victims to be involved in prostitution in return for 
money.  The suspects allowed some of the victims to use 
their homes for prostitution and in return received some 
money. 
 
Charges were filed based on the second paragraph of Article 
227 of the Turkish Penal Code.  Each suspect's punishment 
for mediating, encouraging prostitution, and providing the 
venue would be multiplied by the number of victims involved. 
 
Thus, Dincer Dincsoy will face 32-64 years, Bulent Tetik 
from 14-28 years, and Suat Yildiz from 24-48 years.  Aysel 
Erentok faces 2-4 years.  The second paragraph of Article 
227 foresees two to four years' imprisonment for those who 
mediate, encourage prostitution and for providing the 
location/venue for this purpose. 
 
The indictment referred to the phone conversations of 
witnesses such as Sergen Yalcin, Hasan Sas and Ece Gursel. 
 
Soccer player Sergen Yalcin and suspect Dincer Dincsoy 
talked on November 9, 2005, at 01:53 hrs: 
D:  She will be there in 10 minutes. 
S:  Polat Tower 144.  The woman knows me, no? 
D:  No, she came from Izmir. 
S:  Is she pretty? 
D:  She is. 
S:  Brunette or blonde? 
D:  Brunette, brunette. 
S:  O.K. 
 
Dincer Dincsoy spoke to Didem Aksoy on November 28, 2005, at 
15:16 hrs: 
D:  Where are you? 
A:  I am in Ulus. 
D:  Can you get ready? 
A:  Sure. 
D:  I will send you across (the Bosporus).  You will get 
    $700, including $300 for me.  You will stay for one 
    hour. 
A:  O.K. 
D:  He wants a plump woman.  You are like that, right? 
A:  Yes. 
D:  Then get ready immediately because the man said that he 
    was very tired.  He will go home shortly.  Look very 
    pretty. 
 
Suspect Bulent talked to a man named Mahmut on January 26, 
2006: 
B:  Hello. 
M:  Hello Bulent bey, I'm Mahmut.  What did you do? 
B:  I talked to Berna hanim.  She will charge $1000 and it 
    will be at her home. 
M:  O.K. 
B:  The other lady, Neriman hanim, will be for $500 again 
    at her home. 
M:  O.K.  What is the situation like with the other models? 
B:  Go to the internet.  Some charge $3000-4000.  Ece 
    Gursel charges $10,000. 
 
Dincer Dincsoy speaks to Fulden Aras on October 4, 2005, at 
00:45 hrs: 
F:  Dear. 
D:  Now he is giving me his room number.  We will be there 
    around 02:00 hrs.  Can you pick me up around a quarter 
    to 2:00 from my house?  It is possible? 
F:  I can.  Who is he? 
D:  A girlfriend introduced him to me.  He is magnificent. 
    I got $1500.  I will give you $1000 and keep $500.  You 
    will appreciate this one. 
F:  O.K. baby.  END TEXT. 
 
¶18.  Published by Milliyet on Wednesday, April 12: 
 
TITLE:  Twenty-three women "victims" 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The investigation on the prostitution operation 
by the Istanbul Police Morals Department has been completed. 
Charges were filed against four suspects, including one 
woman, for involving 23 women, including models and singers, 
in prostitution.  Imprisonment of up to 68 years was 
demanded for the suspects who were charged with mediating 
and encouraging and finding the venue for prostitution. 
 
The indictment, prepared by Istanbul Prosecutor Ali Celebi, 
demanded that arrested suspects Dincer Dincsoy, Suat Yildiz 
and Bulent Tetik and the currently free suspect, Aysel 
Erentok, be tried for encouraging, mediating and finding the 
venue for prostitution.  The 23 women, detained during the 
operation, were mentioned in the indictment as victims. 
 
The indictment stated that suspect Dincsoy mediated through 
cell phones for 16 victims, Yildiz for 12 and Tetik for 
seven.  It was stated, "The suspects took the victims 
themselves to the locations that they would meet with 
clients, allowed some victims to use their houses for such 
meetings, took part of the money the victims got from their 
clients and earned their living through this business." 
 
The indictment also stated that suspect Erentok, who 
mediated for prostitution in return for money, called Bulent 
Tetik various times and requested a famous woman for a 
client.  It went on, "During a search in Tetik's house, he 
was found with victims A.T. and A.V.A in the bedroom.  Nine 
sheets of paper with names and telephone numbers were found 
in the house.  Sixteen photographs and two cell phones used 
to carry out this crime were found in the house.  In the 
house of Suat Yildiz, 51 photographs, 650 YTL and $200 
earned from this crime, as well as two videos and two cell 
phones were found.  Victim B.E. was found in his home. 
 
Since the law states that suspects should be punished for 
each victim, the relevant article of the penal code will be 
applied 16 times for Dincsoy, seven times for Tetik and 12 
times for Yildiz.  It will be used only once for Erentok. 
The indictment also referred to 12 people, including soccer 
players, as witnesses. 
 
Commenting on the reaction to the exposure of the women 
during the operation, Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin 
Cerrah said, "Our police will not expose honorable/honest 
people.  The judicial process will show who has been doing 
what."  END TEXT. 
 
¶19.  Reported by Milliyet on Thursday, April 13: 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  New York Times Reported and the "Cat" Pulled 
Down the Gang 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The investigation of 16 suspects, nine of whom 
were arrested, has been completed.  They were detained last 
month during the most comprehensive prostitution operation 
of recent years, called "Cat." 
 
The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor, 
noted that the police got the tip from the New York Times 
article entitled, "Is Turkey Happy to be a Market for 
Women?" and dated June 2005.  The article was quoted by 
Turkey's national media. 
The indictment demanded up to 575 years imprisonment for 
Ejder Toprak, the gang leader who was accused of 
establishing a gang, being a member of a gang, confining 
people, sexual attack on a person, prostitution, looting and 
forgery. 
 
The indictment also noted that Toprak established an 
organization and "(Along with) Other people, primarily Ejder 
Toprak's wife Oksana Toprak, were bringing women by plane 
from Russia, Moldova, Belarus and the Ukraine by deceiving 
them.  These women were met at the airport by `secretaries' 
who were earlier dragged into prostitution by the gang. 
They were taken to hotels and houses that belonged to the 
gang." 
 
The indictment noted that these women were either forced or 
voluntarily got involved in prostitution.  They were also 
forced to sign promissory notes.  It went on, "Women are 
being rented by the hour or by the night for approximately 
$100-200.  The amount that each woman is supposed to get is 
registered in a log and the money was given to Ejder 
Toprak."  END TEXT. 
 
¶20.  Published by Radikal on Thursday, April 13: 
 
TITLE:  Demand for 575 years for prostitution 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  A total of up to 575 years' imprisonment was 
demanded for seven separate crimes allegedly committed by 
Ejder Toprak, the gang leader who deceives Russian, Moldovan 
and Ukrainian women with promises of jobs and then forces 
them into prostitution. 
 
The Istanbul Public Prosecutor completed his indictment on 
the Cat Operation that had ties to Mersin and Izmir. 
 
The indictment, taking into consideration the number of 
victims, demanded up to 575 years' imprisonment for forcing 
the women to stay, rape, prostitution, looting, and having 
an unregistered gun. 
 
For the remaining 16 suspects, he demanded imprisonment of 
from 3 to 216 years.  END TEXT. 
 
¶21.  Published by Sabah on Thursday, April 13: 
 
TITLE:  Raid conducted when "Times" reported 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The Cat Operation was conducted in Istanbul 
following Craig Smith's article in the New York Times 
entitled, "Is Turkey Happy to Be a Market for Women?"  When 
the article appeared in the national press on June 28, 2005, 
the police conducted the biggest prostitution operation of 
recent years. 
 
In the article, it was stated that the market for women, 
which emerged in Turkey following the collapse of the USSR, 
has turned into a slave trade. 
 
Following a long surveillance, the police conducted a raid 
on February 20, 2006, during which 16 people were captured. 
Ejder Toprak, the alleged leader of the gang, was also 
arrested and put into jail.  It was alleged that gang 
members and primarily Toprak's wife, Oksana, deceived women 
from Russia, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine with various 
promises and by paying their travel expenses to Istanbul. 
These women were met at the airport by "secretaries" who had 
been dragged into prostitution themselves.  They were taken 
to the houses of the gang or to hotels.  There, these women 
were made to sign promissory notes.  They were then forced 
into prostitution.  The gang members provided the locations 
for prostitution.  They sold those who opposed and created a 
security risk to the others. 
 
These women were sold for $100-200 for the hour or for the 
night, and they were taken to the client by the gang's 
drivers.  There was a log for all the money that these women 
had to earn and later those earnings were paid to Ejder 
Toprak.  END TEXT. 
 
¶22.  Published by Aksam on Thursday, April 13: 
 
TITLE:  The New York Times reports, Turkish police capture 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  In an article in the U.S. New York Times by 
Craig Smith last year, it was claimed that Turkey has turned 
into a woman market after the USSR dissolved.  The article 
entitled, "Is Turkey Happy to Become a Woman Market?" 
claimed that women from the former Soviet Republics were 
used as slaves in the sex trade. 
 
This article in the Times was quoted by the Turkish media on 
June 28, 2005, and the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor 
ordered the police to crack down on the gangs.  The police 
began work against prostitution networks.  First they began 
to tap the phones of the networks and follow their leaders. 
The houses, clients and the women they used for prostitution 
were determined one by one.  Following nine months' work, a 
raid called "Cat" netted the arrest of gang leader Ejder 
Toprak.  Twenty-five people who were forcing foreign women 
into prostitution were detained.  While the court put nine 
under arrest, it set the remaining 16 free to be tried on 
release. 
 
Following the information obtained from Ejder Topak and 
other gang members and as a result of phone tapping and 
technical surveillance, last week a second operation was 
carried out.  Twenty-three women, including famous models 
and singers, were detained.  Up to four years' imprisonment 
was demanded against four who were forcing the "victims" 
into prostitution.  Each suspect will be punished as many 
times as the number of their victims and thus Dincer D.'s 
sentence will be multiplied with 16, Suat Y.'s with 12 and 
Bulent T. with seven. 
 
RUSSIA ASKS FOR HELP 
 
The indictment claimed that an official from the Russian 
Federation Consulate in Istanbul went to the Foreigners' 
Police on February 3, 2006, and requested their citizen 
Irina Ryabchenko to be saved from the hands of a gang.  Upon 
information that Irina might be in Mersin, the Mersin Police 
was called for help.  Irina was saved from the gang with the 
efforts of the police. 
 
SECRETARIES GREET THOSE WHO ARE TRAPPED 
 
SIPDIS 
 
In the indictment, it was explained in detail how these 
women were dragged into the trap.  Some people, including 
gang leader Ejder Topak and his wife Oksana, brought women 
to Istanbul from Russia, Moldavia, Belarus and the Ukraine 
with various promises.  They paid the travel expenses. 
Women who fall into the trap were met at the airport by 
women, who were called "secretaries," and who earlier were 
pulled into prostitution.  After being taken from the 
airport, these women were taken to the gang's houses or 
hotels.  Later these women were forced to sign a document 
confirming that they were in debt.  Women who were isolated 
in a foreign country were forced into prostitution to pay 
their debt.  Those who resist were subject to beating and 
torture.  Those who oppose were sold to other gangs in 
Izmir, Mersin and other provinces in return for $3000-6000 
for the security of the gang.  In order to enable these 
women to stay longer in Turkey, the gang altered their 
passport information. 
 
UP TO 575 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT 
 
The Istanbul Police prepared the indictment against 25 
suspects.  The prostitution gang will soon be on trial at 
the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court Number 3.  Leader Ejder Topak 
faces imprisonment term from 259 to 575 years and Murat 
Dogan from 80 to 207 years. 
 
IRINA'S TRAGEDY 
 
In the indictment, the story of Irina Ryabchenko, forced to 
be a sex slave, was related as, "Irina (23) was sent to 
Istanbul by an agency.  She was met by a woman called Anya. 
She was taken to an apartment in Atakoy.  Deniz B., who was 
at the house, said that they spent $4000 to bring her to 
Istanbul and made her sign a document.  He told her that in 
order to pay back her debt she had to be involved in 
prostitution.  Irina abided by the demand.  Despite the fact 
that she paid her debt, she could not get away from the 
gang.  She ran away.  Deniz B. captured her and sold her to 
Ejder Topak.  Toprak locked her up in a house in Aksaray. 
Her telephone and passport were taken away from her.  Topak 
and three others first beat her and later raped her for four 
days.  Later she was sold for $6000 to Kenan, known as 
"Apo," in Izmir.  After a while Kenan sold her for $6000 to 
a man called "Niyazi" in Mersin. 
 
FEES FOR THE GIRLS 
 
Women who are dragged into prostitution have been marketed 
either for the hour or the night for $100 or $200. 
 
If the client agrees to the price, these women are taken 
from where they are kept and taken to the meeting place. 
 
These women are not paid ahead of time.  The money owed to 
them is registered in a book.  Later Ejder Topak pays the 
women.  END TEXT. 
 
¶23.  Reported by Hurriyet on Friday, April 14: 
 
TITLE:  Sermon on prostitution in Istanbul 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  Hurriyet quoted State Minister Mehmet Aydin, 
who is in charge of the Directorate for Religious Affairs 
(Diyanet), as saying that they would stop uniform sermons 
valid for the entire province, and instead would come up 
with specially-tailored sermons for each province for Friday 
prayers. 
 
Aydin explained that, for example, a Friday sermon in 
Antalya could be on tourism, in Diyarbakir on terrorism and 
honor killings, and in Istanbul on prostitution. 
 
Aydin said that as a town receiving immigrants, Istanbul has 
been suffering serious problems concerning prostitution and 
theft.  Aydin stressed that women from certain countries, in 
particular, were forcefully kept and dragged into 
prostitution and added, "It is a tragedy.  There are 
responsibilities that lay on the Diyanet.  For example, as 
it delivers sermons in Istanbul, it can refer to this 
tragedy.  These sermons can be on various topics."  END 
TEXT. 
 
WILSON