Country of origin information report Turkey March 2007

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The General Information Gathering System (GBTS)
30.05 The Swiss NGO Schweizerische Fluchtlingshife (Swiss Organisation for Refugees) stated in its report on Turkey published in June 2003 that:
“There are a number of different information systems in Turkey. The central information system is known as the GBTS (Genel Bilgi Toplama Sistemi – General Information Gathering System). This system lists extensive personal data such as information on arrest warrants, previous arrests, foreign travel restrictions, avoidance of military service, desertion, refusal to pay military tax and delays paying tax. Served sentences are as a rule removed from this information system and entered onto the database of criminal records (Adli Sicil).” [8] (p41)
30.06 As outlined in the September 2003 Report on GBTS system by the Turkish Ministry of Interior, the GBTS is operated by the Anti-Smuggling Intelligence and Data Collection Department of the Turkish National Police. The Ministry of the Interior further state that “In the GBT system records of the following are kept as a general rule:
(i) Persons who have committed a crime but have not been caught;

(ii) Persons who have committed serious crimes such as organised crime, smuggling, drugs related crimes, terrorism, unlawful seizure, murder, fraud;

(iii) Persons who have search warrants issued including those who have an arrest warrant issued “in absentia”;

(iv) Persons who are barred from public service;

(v) Missing persons;

(vi) Persons of responsibility within political parties who have been convicted of crimes defined in the Political Parties Law No.2908, article 4/4;

(vii) Stolen, lost, appropriated motor vehicles, firearms, identification documents.” [17]
30.07 The Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP) in their 2004 legal review publication on legal developments stated in Hasyer that:
“Torture is still endemic in Turkey. The only recent improvement was an indication that methods of torture were less likely to leave visible marks. The GBTSS system stores various personal data. This includes information on criminal convictions, criminal records, outstanding arrest warrants, previous arrests, official judicial preliminary inquiries or investigations by the police or gendarmerie etc. On return to Turkey and at the point of entry all Turkish nationals, including returning failed asylum seekers, are checked against the GBTSS computer records. Returnees with no documents or temporary travel documents will be perceived as a failed asylum seeker. If a returnee is thought to be a failed asylum seeker or if the GBTSS computer records reveal information which is regarded as suspicious he or she is likely to be detained for interrogation at the point of entry. Interrogation is intended to establish or check personal particulars, reasons for and time of departure from Turkey, grounds for seeking asylum, reasons why the application was rejected, any criminal records at home and abroad, and possible contacts with illegal organisations abroad. These were only examples and the questioning was likely to concentrate on the factor(s) which excited suspicion in the first place. Interrogation at the airport was unlikely to amount to persecution, although there is a risk of ill-treatment if an individual upon transfer to the Police HQ in Bakirkoy or the Political (or Anti-terror) Department headquarters on Vatan Caddesi. If as a result of interrogation and further inquiries there is no continuing suspicion the person is likely to be released after an average of 6 to 9 hours. When individuals are held for interrogation, police at the point of entry are likely to seek further information from police or gendarmerie stations in the birthplace and other places of residence in Turkey. If they hold any information about the individual it will be more detailed than that shown on the central computer records. If it is discovered during the initial computer check, interrogation, or inquiries in the home that area an individual is suspected of membership of ‘separatist’ organisations they are likely to be handed over to the Anti Terror Branch. Once transferred to the Anti Terror Branch there is a real risk of torture.” [6a]