The Bloody Uniforms of the Palace Regime - Torturer Soldiers-2
With its studies and reports, the "Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST)", a human rights organization, reveals the human rights violations, ill-treatment and torture by the state's official institutions and persons that took place in Turkey during and after the 15th of July.
AST disclosed the names of 108 torturers, who were officially recorded with the statements of the accused and witnesses, in the reports of the Torturers in Turkey, published recently and in November 2020. Among these names are those in power, who tortured people who oppose them by using their political position and influence, generals, officers, and non-commissioned officers who tortured their comrades, police chiefs, police officers, guards, and even judges and prosecutors who should try people fairly.
You can access the reports published by AST from the link below.
In this article, we will focus on two torturer officers mentioned in the report.
- Colonel Ümit Tatan - Special Air Regiment Commander of the time
- Captain Volkan Vural Bal - Special Forces Personnel
- Major Barış Dedebağı - Armed Troops Command Discipline Officer of the time
A bloody uniform of the Palace Regime who ordered the torture of the soldiers in his entourage was the Commander of the Special Air Regiment of the time, Colonel Ümit Tatan. Many soldiers said that they were tortured on the orders of Ümit Tatan in their statements at the courts and complained about him.
On his trial at the 13th High Criminal Court of Ankara, Pilot Major Mehmet Sağlam said that he was tortured for 2 days by the Commander of the Special Forces of the time, Zekai Aksakallı and Special Air Regiment Commander Colonel of the time, Ümit Tatan. Major Hüseyin Çakıroğlu, who stated that he was also tortured by these two torturers and filed a complaint against Aksakallı and Tatan.
Another torturer who tortured the unofficially detained personnel in the Special Forces Command in the continuation of the July 15 was Captain Volkan Vural Bal. It was later revealed that Bal whose name was frequently mentioned in the court statements tortured a soldier and broke his ribs.
Major Barış Dedebağı - Armed Troops Command Discipline Officer of the time
Another torturer who tortured his comrades, commanders and subordinates during July 15 and did not hesitate to exhibit this in front of the cameras is Barış Dedebağ. Barış Dedebağ, whose torture images were broadcasted on both state news agencies and private TV channels, admitted on his own social media account that he tortured soldiers.
The tortures inflicted on Muhammet Tanju Poshor, who served as the Commander of the Presidential Guard Regiment during the former President Abdullah Gül's term, entered the records of the Ankara 19th High Criminal Court. Poshor described his detention, and his treatment as follows: “On the morning of July 16, 2016, while I was preparing for the operation, I was detained at the operation room. My right to treatment, which cannot be suspended even during the war time, was violated, and I was taken into custody by being beaten by the people I do not know, handcuffed in reverse while I was naked, with an open operation wound on my back. Barış Dedebağı participated in torture by beating many people, especially the generals and me, I am giving his name here and I am filing a criminal complaint against him. Several times I was electrocuted. I remember that I started to get used to the pain, but I still couldn’t get used to the burning smell of my flesh. This smell also bothered my torturers, who occasionally vomited.
The Turkish Constitution states that individuals cannot be tortured or ill-treated, and there is no statute of limitations for torture as per Article 94 of the Turkish Penal Code.
With the "EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime" decision adopted by the European Council in December 2020, preventive measures have been taken against EU member or non-EU states, non-state actors and EU citizens or non-EU citizens who torture, inhuman and ill-treat.
In conclusion, torture is a crime against humanity and there is no statute of limitations. Persons who commit torture and inhumane treatment, give orders, and allow it to be done, will be held accountable before the law.
Fatih Ayhan Acar
References: Advocates of Silenced Turkey Report, November 2020
