H. E. Tansu Ciller
Prime Minister of Turkey
Prime Minister’s Office
Ankara
Turkey

Vienna, 1 September 1995

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the death in police detention of Sayfettin Tepe, a journalist for the recently banned pro-Kurdish newspaper Yeni Politika.

We are informed that on 22 August 1995 Mr. Tepe was taken into custody, together with two colleagues from the same newspaper, Ramazan Otunc and Aydin Bolkan. His colleagues were released the same day, but Mr. Tepe was kept in detention and moved on August 26 to the Bitlis Security Directorate, where he died three days later. His family was told that he committed suicide.

IPI, a global network of editors and media executives from newspapers, magazines, broadcasting organisations and news agencies in 85 countries, urges that you authorize an immediate and thorough investigation into the death or Mr. Tepe and that those responsible are brought to justice. We further urge that you disclose any findings with regard to his death.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director