TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION CENTERS

Since its formation in 1989, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey-HRFT (Türkiye ¤nsan Haklar2 Vakf2), through its Documentation and Treatment and Rehabilitation centers, has provided unbiased and factual informationon abuses committed both by the government of Turkey and armed opposition groups such as the PKK.155 The foundation's Treatment and Rehabilitation centers located in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Adana, provide medical and mental health services to victims of torture. These centers have operated openly and legally. Many leading physicians and psychiatrists donate their services. In the past, government officials and ministers in Turkey even met with HRFT officers and attended some events it sponsored. Until 1996, no charges had been brought directly against the HRFT regarding its treatment and rehabilitation centers.156 The fact that its reports are widely used by various organizations ranging from Human Rights Watch to the United States Government is proof of the quality of the work and the intellectual integrity and honesty of the Foundation. On the basis of such activity, the Foundation has received funding from such bodies as the Swedish Red Cross, the United Nations, and the European Commission, which help fund the Foundation's latest report, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey: Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers' Report, 1995 [Türkiye ¤nsan Haklar2 Vakf2: Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezleri Raporu 1995], published in November 1996.

Unfortunately, the recent harassment against the treatment center stems from the very fact that the Foundation's publications are widely used by foreign embassies and organizations in their human rights reporting. In a March 7, 1996 statement, the Foreign Ministry cast aspersions on the work of the Foundation, stating that, "...the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers' Report released by the Human Rights Foundation contains misleading information referring to those centers which do not actually exist." The statement served as a critique of the 1995 U.S. State Department Country report, which used information from the Foundation. Consequently, investigations were carried out by the Ministry of Health and the Ankara Public Prosecutor's office against the Foundation. On January 27, 1996, in letter No. AKGY-64-1037, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, "In an investigation rendered by our Ministry of Health, it has been determined that there are no "Treatment Rehabilitation Centers" rendering service attached to the Human Rights Foundation....If this is the case there may appear a development that may require the initiation of judicial and administrative procedures."

Consequently, the Foundation's Treatment and Rehabilitation centers have suffered the following legal interferences:

* In September 1996, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor charged Dr. Ôákran Ak2n of Istanbul's Treatment and Rehabilitation Center with "operating an unlicensed health center" under article 526 of the penal code. The first hearing in Istanbul was held on November 8. All charges were dropped.

* In a similar case, on March 21, 1996, the Adana Public Prosecutor's Office opened a case (Indictment #1996:1242) against Mustafa Çink2l2ç, the representative of the Foundation's Adana office and Tufan Köse, a doctor associated with the Foundation under articles 526 and 530 of the Turkish Penal Code, "operating an unlicensed health center" and "negligence in denouncing a crime." The charges were apparently filed because the Adana Foundation representatives did not inform authorities that individuals came to them for treatment because of torture or police abuse, i.e., they did not report these offenses to official bodies. The most recent hearing was held on May 2, 1997, when Mr. Çink2l2ç was found innocent while Mr. Köse was found guilty and fined.

Human Rights Watch/Helsinki

Human Rights Watch is a nongovernmental organization established in 1978 to monitor and promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and among the signatories of the Helsinki accords. It is supported by contributions from private individuals and foundations worldwide. It accepts no government funds, directly or indirectly. The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development director; Cynthia Brown, program director; Holly J. Burkhalter, advocacy director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance and administration director; Robert Kimzey, publications director; Jeri Laber, special advisor; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Susan Osnos, communications director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Wilder Tayler, general counsel; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Robert L. Bernstein is the chair of the board and Adrian W. DeWind is vice chair. Its Helsinki division was established in 1978 to monitor and promote domestic and international compliance with the human rights provisions of the 1975 Helsinki Accords. It is affiliated with the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, which is based in Vienna, Austria. Holly Cartner is the executive director; Rachel Denber is the Moscow office director; Erika Dailey, Christopher Panico, and Diane Paul are research associates; Alexander Petrov is Assistant Moscow office director; John MacLeod is the Toshkent office director; Marie Struthers is the Dushanbe office director; Maxine Marcus is research assistant; and Malcolm Hawkes, Emily Shaw, and Juliet Wilson are associates. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the advisory committee and Alice Henkin is vice chair.

Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org

Gopher Address: gopher://gopher.humanrights.org:5000/11/int/hrw

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The Human Rights Association founded the Human Rights Foundation.