İLHAN v. TURKEY JUDGMENT
7
worsening as the day progressed. He could not walk, needed to be supported
and, before giving his statement, lost control of his bowels.
24. At 7.10 p.m. on 27 December 1992, some thirty-six hours after their
apprehension, Abdüllatif İlhan and İbrahim Karahan were admitted for
treatment at Mardin State Hospital. A document dated 27 December 1992
and signed by Şeref Çakmak requested that both be treated as they had
fallen and hurt themselves. According to the hospital record, İbrahim
Karahan was treated for trauma to the right ear. A report dated 27 December
1992 and signed by Dr Aydoğan stated that Abdüllatif İlhan's general
condition was average, and that he was conscious and responsive. The
report also stated that hemadermy was present in the left eye periorbital. It
indicated that the life of the patient, who suffered from left hemiparesis, was
threatened.
25. Abdüllatif İlhan was taken to Diyarbakır State Hospital, where his
condition was found to be fair, though risk to life remained, with symptoms
of concussion and left hemiplegia. The applicant arrived at the hospital to
see his brother on 28 December 1992. He took Abdüllatif to a clinic, where
he paid for scans to be taken. On the basis of these films, which disclosed,
inter alia, cerebral oedema and left hemiparesis, Dr Rahmanlı decided that
surgery was not necessary. Abdüllatif İlhan was treated with drugs and
discharged from hospital on 11 January 1993.
26. Abdüllatif İlhan returned to the hospital for examination at about
two-monthly intervals. On 11 June 1993 a report from Dr Rahmanlı and
Dr Varol stated that he was suffering from a 60% loss of function on the left
side. The applicant submitted to the Commission recent scans of his brain
showing an area of brain atrophy. The Commission's delegates who saw
Abdüllatif İlhan on 29 September 1997 noted that a loss of function on the
left hand side was still visible. However, on the basis of the evidence of the
doctors who testified before the delegates, the Commission found that the
delay in treatment had not been shown to have appreciably worsened the
long-term effects of the head injury.
B. The domestic proceedings
27. The applicant and his brother did not lodge any complaint with the
Mardin public prosecutor, Abdulkadir Güngören. The public prosecutor had
been informed, however, that Abdüllatif İlhan had been injured at the time
of his apprehension by Şeref Çakmak and he had received documents
prepared by the gendarmes concerning the apprehension of Abdüllatif İlhan
and İbrahim Karahan. In a written report dated 27 December 1992 to the
public prosecutor, Şeref Çakmak had stated that both Abdüllatif İlhan and
İbrahim Karahan had run away despite numerous warnings to stop. He
described how both men had physically resisted the security forces and had
fallen from the rocks while they were pushing the gendarmes. The public