The office of Ferhat Kaya, a prominent human rights defender who was detained and allegedly tortured earlier this year following his work to mitigate the impacts of the controversial Baku-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, was attacked last night by unknown assailants. All the windows in the office, which houses the Ardahan headquarters of DEHAP, a pro-Kurdish political party, were smashed.

The attack took place despite DEHAP's office being in the centre of Ardahan and having a police post outside it. Mr Kaya is the head of DEHAP's Ardahan central district branch.

Ferhat Kaya has been involved for some time in mitigating the impacts of the BTC project by ensuring that local people obtain the compensation to which they are entitled and that their rights under the ECHR are respected. He has this year assisted people affected by the pipeline in bringing complaints to the European Court of Human Rights and European Court of Justice.

Kaya was detained in May this year following his attendance at meetings with those affected by the pipeline. Eleven police officers have since been charged with beating and torturing him. A case has also been brought against Mr Kaya for resisting arrest. His trial will open in Ardahan on 22 September 2004.