Correspondence pertaining to the case filed by Rabia Dündar on 20 December 1993 against the Republic of Turkey with the European Commission of Human Rights (application number 23182/94, referred to internally within the Kurdish Litigation Project as Case 68 and assigned to Kevin Boyle as lead) regarding the destruction of her home and property during an operation by gendarmes carried out in the village of Güldiken, Lice District, Diyarbakır Province, on 24 June 1993. Notable documents available for viewing include Dündar’s application to the Commission, and the applicant’s pleadings on the merits of the case filed 23 August 1996. Correspondence from the Commission, including the forwarded observations of the Turkish Government and lists of proposed case witnesses, are closed for access until 1 November 2073.
On the evening of 24 June 1993, security forces arrived in the area surrounding Sağgöze village by helicopter. On the morning of 25 June 1993, gendarmes entered the village and gathered people from the upper neighbourhood in the area in front of the school. Gendarmes in the lower area carried out a search and then proceeded to burn houses in the lower neighbourhood of Sağgöze village. Villagers pleaded with the gendarmes not to burn their houses but were told to remain quiet or they would be thrown on the flames. When asked why they were burning the houses, the gendarmes told the villagers that it was a punishment for helping the PKK.
On 9 September 1997, the Commission adopted its report in the case and joined Dündar’s application to those of Emine Yılmaz (A44/43/6/96), Mizgin Ovat (A44/43/1/48), and Halit Şahin (A44/43/6/73), who were also residents of Güldiken whose houses and properties were destroyed on 24 June 1993.
The case of Menteş and others (A44/43/1/46 and A44/43/6/62) also deals with the events of 24 June 1993 in Güldiken.
