VZCZCXRO2455
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV
RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDA #0082 1031323
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131323Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4097
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0646
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0561
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0168
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0100
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0694
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS ADANA 000082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CASC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: PKK-RELATED VIOLENCE IN THE SE , AND ALLEGATIONS OF 
TORTURE MOUNT AFTER RECENT CIVIL UNREST 
 
REF: ADANA 60 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  PKK-related violence continues  throughout 
Turkey's southeast.  Meanwhile, though civil unrest in cities 
throughout the southeast has abated, tensions remain high amid 
allegations of torture by security forces.  End Summary 
 
PKK-related Violence Picks Up 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The media reported 40 PKK militants, one police officer 
and eight military personnel killed in violence throughout the 
southeast over the past three weeks.  PKK-related violence, 
including clashes with armed forces, land mine explosions and 
remotely detonated explosive devices have taken place over the 
past week in Diyarbakir, Sirnak, Elazig, Batman, Mardin, Siirt, 
Hakkari and Bitlis provinces, according to media accounts.  In a 
roadside mine explosion in Elazig on April 8, the local jandarma 
regiment commander Colonel Ali Ergulmez and a sergeant were 
injured, and a lieutenant colonel and a private were killed. 
Security forces in Elazig launched operations throughout the 
province following the blast, according to the press. 
 
Children Jailed: Allegations of Torture Mount 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Our contacts in the Diyarbakir chapter of the Human 
Rights Association and the Bar Association told us that since 
civil unrest broke out in Diyarbakir in late March during 
funeral ceremonies for PKK militants killed in Mus province 
(reftel), 560 individuals had been put in custody; 219 of them 
children aged between 12 and 18.  Our contacts told us that 91 
children had been ordered held in custody, but based on lawyers' 
objections, 34 children were released, leaving  57  in jail. 
Though no indictments have been handed down yet, the detainees 
face a variety of charges  including inciting hatred and enmity 
among people, damaging and plundering public institutions, 
assisting and harboring PKK, violating the law on public 
assembly, resisting and wounding security forces, and 
undertaking actions on behalf of the PKK. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Our contacts told us that the overwhelming majority of 
the children have been exposed to torture and maltreatment, 
including beating, hosing with cold water, deprivation of sleep 
and food, and being forced to sleep on the cold floor.  The 
children had testified to such treatment in their court 
depositions.  Their lawyers have filed charges against the 
alleged perpetrators.  Our contacts further told us that lawyers 
had difficulty reaching detainees during the first day of 
detention, but gained access to their clients on the following 
day.  Contacts said that two lawyers who had tried to reach 
detainees on the first day were beaten by police, and the 
lawyers pressed charges against the police. 
 
REID