URFA - Stating that the Urfa Anti-terror unit has turned into a torturehouse, HDP MP Ayşe Sürücü said, "The torturers rely on the Minister of Interior".

 

The Anti-Terror (TEM) Branch of the Urfa Provincial Security Directorate is once again on the agenda with torture. Mehmet Sait Yardimci (60), Hamdullah Esen (55) and Tayip Temel (52), who were taken to the TEM Branch after being detained in Viranşehir on September 4, have recently turned out to be tortured, according to their lawyers. Citizens, whose detention periods were extended twice, were arrested yesterday by the Criminal Court of Peace. 

 

CEYLANPINAR AND HALFETİ INCIDENTS

 

The anti-terror unit in question have been discussed with similar torture stories in the recent years. One of them was the torture the 4 people were subjected to following the suspicious killing of 2 police officers in Ceylanpınar on July 22, 2015. While those four young men were released after a period of imprisonment, no action has been taken against the police officers who tortured them.

 

Again, in Halfeti, 55 people were detained on grounds that they are affiliated with the incidents occured following the clash on May 18, 2019 and were severely tortured. The 55 people whose photo in which they were laid on the ground hadcuffed behind the back reflected in the press. The 55 people told that theyt were electrocuted, beaten and sexually assaulted during the time they were in Urfa Anti-Terror Unit.

 

While an investigation was initiated against some police officers as a result of the public outcry and the reactions of the Urfa Bar Association, but a decision of non prosecution was taken for the 37 suspects. Later 4 more of them were released at the first hearing in the case which 13 suspects stood trial.

 

SÜRÜCÜ: THE TORTURE IS SYSTEMATIC 

 

Evaluating the subject, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Urfa MP Ayşe Sürücü said the torture in Urfa Anti-Terror Unit is systematic. Stating that the people detained are forced to sign statements and confessions they didn't write themselves, Sürücü said: "The 3 people detained in Viranşehir have been tortured. This is not their first torture case. Women were subjected to sexual assault, and what happened next? All we saw was injustice, unlawfulness, immorality and remorselessness. 

 

'IT'S A TORTURE HOUSE' 

 

Stressing that torture is a crime against humanity, Sürücü said: “But torture is still continuing in Urfa. There is a chain torture system. But nobody wants to see this torture in Urfa. No one investigates. They are trying to create crimes to accuse people, using torture. Pointing to the "zero tolerance to torture" statements sometimes expressed by government officials, Sürücü said: "But on the other hand, we know that the torturers are protected by the government. The investigations against these torturers are closed or a decision of non prosecution is given. The torturers rely on Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu. The torture is being ignored. These people are tortured with the instruction of someone."

 

Stating that Urfa Anti-Terror UNit have become a torture house, Sürücü said: "We have seen this before. Torture is a crime against humanity. But when a Kurdish citizen is in their hands, torture is put into effect. Torture is a method of depriving Kurds from their wills.  We will fight against this crime against humanity to the end."