Police Rapes and Threatens Kurdish Activist

Gulbahar Gunduz, director of the women's branch of the Democratic People's Party (DEHAP), who claims to be kidnapped, tortured and raped by four people who said they were police officers, applied to the Forensic Medical Institution on Monday to prove she underwent torture.

Gunduz told at a press conference at the Istanbul Human Rights Association (IHD) that four men, who said they were police officers, kidnapped her and gave an account of the things she went through in tears. She also showed reporters the marks of torture on her body.

Sabahat Tuncer, the head of DEHAP's women's branch, Metin Toprak, the party's provincial head, Eren Keskin, IHD deputy head, and Kiraz Bicici, head of the Istanbul IHD, along with representatives from a number of women's organizations attended the press conference.

Gunduz said she was tortured and orally raped by the police officers. She said she could not see the police officers because she was hit on the head from behind and was blindfolded. Gunduz also called on a person, who saw her being kidnapped by the police officers and tried to stop them, to witness in court. According to Gunduz, police asked her why she attended protest organized by DEHAP calling for a general amnesty and threatened her.

This was a warning

Sabahat Tuncer, head of DEHAP women's branch, told Bianet that this was an attempt to prevent women from being active in politics and reminded that women had faced similar attacks in the past. "The things Gunduz went through are part of a systematic policy," said Tuncer. "We are continuously watching you. We are letting you go so that you can set an example to other women," the police told Gunduz according to Tuncer.

Tuncer said "the torture and rape had been documented at the Haseki Hospital."

But a report by the Forensic Medical Institution will be determinant.

"Because she was not feeling well psychologically and fearing something would happen to her, Gunduz did not want to tell what she had gone through at first," said Tuncer. "But with the support of the women in DEHAP, we persuaded Gunduz to tell what had happened. But she still does not want to go out. She is still under the influence of the things she went through," Tuncer added.

TCK's definition of rape is inadequate

Lawyer Eren Keskin said they would ask for an interrogation against security forces and criticized the fact that the things Gunduz went through were not included in the definition of rape according to the Turkish Penal Code.

"Women who undergo sexual abuse under detention tell about this a lot later because of various reasons. The marks left by the torture become invisible by that time," Keskin said at the press conference according to a local newspaper. "Gulbahar was very brave to come to us when the marks on her body were still there. We have come across many sexual abuse cases under detention but it is surprising that they could behave in such a careless way at such an important time," Keskin said.

"Inserting sexual organ in the mouth is a clear rape. According to the Turkish Penal Code, only vaginal intercourse constitutes rape. Maybe this incident will also bring along a new legal regulation. We have informed the European Parliament about this incident. Let's see how Turkey is going to handle this," Keskin added.

Gunduz: I was threatened before

"I was forced into a car in the Fatih district by four men in civilian clothes with walkie-talkies who said they were police officers. I screamed saying 'What are you doing, leave me.' 'Police, shut up,' they replied. They kidnapped me in that white car," Gunduz said.

* I fainted because they had hit my head on the car. When I gained consciousness, I was two floors under the ground and I was being interrogated in a very hot room with a single bunk and no windows. I was blindfolded and was tortured in numerous ways. They hit my head with a hard object and scratched my body with metal objects. I have marks all over my body because of the blows. They put off cigarettes on my face. I was raped by the insertion of sexual organs in my mouth. After being tortured for eight hours they put me back in the car and left me on a motorway close to my house. I have not clearly seen the faces of the police officers who raped me but I know they were middle-aged.

Gunduz said she was kidnapped before on Women's Day on March 8, and was threatened not to be involved in political activities. "Why does DEHAP put women forward in its general amnesty campaign, why are you pioneering," the police asked her according to Gunduz. "Do you think we would not hurt you on the streets because you are women? Let your friends rescue you, and let this be a warning to all the women," the police added. (OG/NK/EA/NM)