Turkish officials accused of systematic torture

Amnesty International Monday accused police and martial law authorities in Turkey of carrying out widespread and systematic torture, which included electric shocks, violent assaults on the body, and rape. Most people now being arrested are subjected to the torture, which allegedly has resulted in some deaths, the human rights organization said.

Amnesty, which has a research mission in Turkey May 19-30, concluded that many of the cases were not connected in any way with the political violence that has resulted in more than 3,000 deaths in the past two years. Martial law was imposed in December 1978 after political assassinations by both right- and left-wing groups and is in effect in 21 of Turkey's 67 provinces.