Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
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- Turkey:<br />
Mumtaz Kotan<br />
By Cil\ll'cUin~Moorehead<br />
A 42Qyear-old lawyer from<br />
Ankara, im~rlsol'ied in Diyarbakir<br />
military prison since<br />
April, 11980,is believed to have<br />
beei1 tonured repeatedly since<br />
hisiB1U$ft.<br />
Mum~ax ~otan Is a Kund and<br />
~e has been sentenced to eight<br />
years in prison to be followed<br />
by two years and eight months<br />
internal exile. on charges of<br />
belonging to the illegal Kurdish<br />
organization Rlzgari. He has<br />
lllot been dna~gellB with any<br />
involvement In violent activities.<br />
This Is Mumtaz Kotan's<br />
second prison sentence. In 1971<br />
he "'lUSarresie~ and tried for<br />
membership of Il Kurdish.<br />
cuUural organIzation. In his<br />
<strong>de</strong>fence speech, he upheld the<br />
Kurdish IlUngua~eand culture<br />
and stated that he believed<br />
Kurds were being wrongly<br />
oppresse!!!. He Wl!IS then sentenced<br />
tCll16years in prison, but<br />
released after the general<br />
amUlesty of 1974.<br />
There have been several<br />
hunger strikes at Diyarbakir<br />
military prison to protest<br />
against torture and prison<br />
conditions. In Augi/st last year,<br />
Mumtaz Kotan's health was<br />
said to have been critical<br />
becaus~ of repeated torture.<br />
Mil' KotIIm: Tor~ured many<br />
~ime!l !lill1ce8nest.<br />
87
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