ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research for this report was conducted in Turkey in January 2001 by Jonathan Sugden, researcher on Turkey, on a joint mission with Heidi Wedel of Amnesty International. Jonathan Sugden wrote this report. It was edited by Holly Cartner, executive director of the Europe and Central Asia Division; Michael McClintock, deputy program director; and James Ross, acting general counsel. Invaluable assistance was provided by Maria Pulzetti, associate for the Europe and Central Asia division; and Patrick Minges, publications director. Human Rights Watch also wishes to thank the Istanbul and Ankara branches of the Human Rights Association and the Turkish Human Rights Foundation for their collegiality and assistance.

Most of all, we wish to express our gratitude to the prisoners and their loved ones who agreed to share their stories with us, despite their fears of possible consequences. We hope that this report will contribute to ending the abuses faced by them and their loved ones, and bringing those responsible for ill-treatment, torture, sexual assault, and other abuses to justice.

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Europe and Central Asia Division

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.

We stand with victims and activists to bring offenders to justice, to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom and to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime.

We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those holding power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law.

We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development director; Reed Brody, advocacy director; Carroll Bogert, communications director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance director; Jeri Laber special advisor; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Michael McClintock, deputy program director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Maria Pignataro Nielsen, human resources director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Malcolm Smart, program director; Wilder Tayler, general counsel; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the board. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair.

Its Europe and Central Asia division was established in 1978 to monitor and promote domestic and international compliance with the human rights accords 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 deputy director; Elizabeth Andersen is the advocacy director; Cassandra Cavanaugh is senior researcher; Julia Hall, Bogdan Ivanisevic, Acacia Shields, and Jonathan Sugden are research associates; Diederik Lohman is the Moscow office director; Alexander Petrov is the deputy Moscow office director; Rachel Bien, Liuda Belova, Elizabeth Eagen, Maria Pulzetti, Tamar Satnet, and Rebecca Stich are associates. Peter Osnos is the chair of the advisory committee and Alice Henkin is vice chair.