HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVITIES OF THE TURKISH GENDARMERIE GENERAL COMMAND

1. Human Rights Education:

   a. In order to raise human rights awareness in the personnel of the Gendarmerie General Command and to inform them at the highest level about the international conventions and the inspection mechanisms of which we are a party, Human Rights Education is considered of a great importance at every level.

   b. Within the context of human rights education:                        

(1) Beginning from the academic year of 1992-1993, Human Rights has been taught as a separate course at the Gendarmerie Schools Command to officers, to NCOs and to specialist gendarmerie sergeants, who comprise the professional cadre of the Gendarmerie General Command.

    (2) Knowledge of Human Rights is also given within the classes such as Turkish Penal Code, Penal Procedures Code, Public Relations, and Gendarmerie Professional Knowledge, which are taught at the Gendarmerie Schools Command.

    (3) "Human Rights Education " courses are organized with a view to training Human Rights trainers, and the mobile trainer teams, which are made up of the personnel who have completed the course, are used for training the personnel in their service places in the other units.

    (4) Various publications are prepared and disseminated down to the level of stations to be used for Human Rights education and training as well as for guiding the units and raising their awareness. During their basic training (pre-service training) period, Human Rights Education is given to the rank and file serving under the Gendarmerie General Command.

    (5) During their basic training (pre-service training) period, Human Rights Education is given to the rank and file serving under the Gendarmerie General Command. 

    (6) The continuity of the personnel training is ensured through the organization of various seminars and conferences on Human Rights at the Gendarmerie Schools Command as well as at the level of units throughout the country.

    (7) Human Rights Education activities of the Turkish Gendarmerie General Command are not limited with the conferences, seminars, courses and classes that are held at certain places, but at the same time, education of the personnel is continuously carried on since the respective commanders require the personnel to put into practice their theoretical knowledge and the appropriate manners while on service.

    (8)  National and international publications concerning Human Rights are closely followed and, after the evaluation of the aspects that are of interest for the gendarmerie, guiding orders are disseminated to the units.   

2. Gendarmerie Human Rights Violations Examination and Evaluation Center (JIHIDEM)

    a. In order to contribute to Human Rights education by means of inspection; JIHIDEM was activated in 26 April 2003 with the objective of examining, evaluating and researching claims of human rights violations that may be committed by the gendarmerie personnel during the performance of duties, and ensuring that the necessary legal procedures are initiated for claims which can be proved. 

    b. In JIHIDEM, Examination and Evaluation Specialists (The Jurist Group) and Call Center Officers are on duty under the administration of the Superior of the center.

   c.  Aplications by our citizens concerning human rights violations can be made to the provincial gendarmerie commands in charge as well as to JIHIDEM 24 hours a day.

     d.  For the alleged incident to be included within the scope of JIHIDEM;

       -  the person alleged to have committed the action should be from the gendarmerie personnel,

        -  the person should be assigned with a duty prescribed by laws,

        -  the action should be committed during the performance of the duty or should be related to it,

      -   the action should be harmful to human dignity or otherwise violate the core of fundamental rights and freedoms,

       -   the action should constitute a crime according to the Turkish Penal Code, the other laws and/or the international conventions of which our country is a party, 

        -   and the application should, according to the type of the crime committed, be made in the proper period of time, following the time of occurrence,  as stated by laws.          

    e. When the allegation is determined as a crime at the end of the investigation, the incident is referred to the attorney general in charge.  Furthermore, the necessary administrative assessment concerning the personnel in question is conducted. The applicant is informed on the result and developments.