HL Deb 20 January 1997 vol 577 c39WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their latest information from Turkey concerning deaths in police custody, disappearances of civilians, the use of torture and other abuses of human rights during November 1996.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

According to initial, unsubstantiated statistics released by Turkish human rights organisations, there were 208 "disappearances" (Human Rights Foundation) in 1996 and 70 apparently politically-motivated unsolved killings (Human Rights Association). The Committee for the Prevention of Torture said on 6th December that it had found clear evidence of the practice of torture by the Turkish police in 1996. We have no more precise information relating specifically to the month of November 1996.