Suspected Islamic rebels refuse to testify in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (Reuters) -- Two suspected Islamic rebels refused to testify to a Turkish court on Friday, saying they had been tortured in custody, state-run Anatolian news agency said.

The two suspects are among 17 alleged Muslim guerrillas, accused of killing 22 prominent secularist figures including former Culture Minister Ahmet Taner Kislali and investigative journalist Ugur Mumcu.

Allegations of torture at the hands of security officials are rife in Turkey. Improvements in a poor human rights record are among European Union demands Turkey must meet to join the 15-nation bloc.

The agency quoted the accused, Ferman Ozmen and Necdet Yuksel, as saying they had been tortured under police interrogation and now suffered eating and sleeping disorders.

"I want psychological treatment first. I cannot make a defense without receiving such help," Anatolian quoted Ozmen as telling the Ankara state security court. But Judge Huseyin Eken told the suspect that he looked fine and fit.

Neither of the accused elaborated on details of torture.

Suspects' lawyers presented the court with a medical report. "They are not in a position to defend themselves. They are suffering from post-trauma mental disorder," one of the lawyers said.

Seven of the accused, including Ozmen and Yuksel, face the death penalty for "attempting to alter the constitutional order." Prosecutors are seeking lengthy jail terms for the other of the defendants on lesser charges.

All reject the charges of involvement in the 1999 murder of Kislali and 1993 killing of journalist Mumcu as well as bomb attacks on lefist academics in the early 1990s. Turkish authorities suspect Iranian involvement in those murders but Tehran denies the charges.

The defendants deny belonging to a small, secretive religious group, thought to be part of the guerrilla group Hezbollah, which is accused of trying to replace Turkey's officially secular order with Islamic Sharia Law.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more Middle East news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Middle East

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.