ŞIRNAK - Although 25 years have passed since the death of Hanım Eren, who was said to have committed suicide while she was under police custody at the Silopi Security Directorate, not one single person was prosecuted. Her husband Osman Eren said, "Turkey owes me peace and a life."

 

25 years have passed since the death of Hanım Eren, mother of 6 children, who was tortured and murdered at the age of 21, in the Barbaros District of Şırnak after being detained by the police with her husband Osman Eren on September 25, 1996. While not one single person was prosecuted for her murder so far, it was claimed that Eren has committed suicide. Trying to make her death look like a suicide, police told her husband Osman Eren, "Your wife did not speak to us. She worked for the PKK, if she had spoken we would have caught a lot of people but she didn't, and she hung herself."

 

An autopsy report was prepared in the State Hospital for Hanım Eren, whose body was taken to Diyarbakır by the police after being tortured to death during detention. However, there were traces of torture on Hanım Eren's body. After Eren was buried, her grave was subjected to police attacks many times. Stating that he has never believed in the claims that she committed suicide, her husband Osman Eren has been seeking justice for 25 years.

 

SUICIDE CLAIMS

 

Stating that their home was raided by the police early that morning, Eren said: "Me and my wife were detained after the police raid. They took us to the Silopi District Security Directorate. I was held with my wife for three days. Then they took her to another room. The next day, one of the policemen came and took me to the room where their superiors were. They left all my belongings on the table. The police told me, 'Your wife committed suicide by hanging herself with her dress while she was in custody. As soon as we noticed, we took her to the hospital. She was referred to Diyarbakır State Hospital. We don't know if she's alive or not.' Then they said, 'If you want, you can go to Diyarbakır to the hospital, too.' But I told them I was not able to do that. My wife was not a person who would commit suicide.They told me to go home. I came home after I was released."

 

DEATH THREATS

 

Underlining that he was constantly threatened by the police after being released, Eren said: "When I went home, I saw that there was a lot of people home. My wife had lost her life at the hospital. They brought her body later that evening. Our house was surrounded by the police. We buried her properly when the police left. I went back to the police station 3 days after we buried my wife. Police threatened me and said: "Leave the city or you'll die. Go to Iraq."

 

TRACES OF TORTURE 

 

Stating that they killed his wife and sent her body to Diyarbakır to cover up the murder, Eren said: "There were traces of torture on her body. Her whole body was covered in bruises. The police had said that she hanged herself with her dress. But my wife was not the kind of person that could kill herself. They even remove the shoe laces when they detain you. How can a person hang themselves with their dress? I still don't believe it." 

 

DETAINED 13 TIMES

 

Stating that he was detained 13 times between 1989 and 1990, Eren said he was electrocuted and tortured 12 times. Eren said: "They took my clothes of and hung me to the ceiling. They tortured me with cold water and electric. I will never forget those days. Nobody did what the state did to me. But everyone needs justice. My wife was murdered 25 years ago and still not one single person is prosecuted. This state owes me peace and a life. I have been waiting for justice for 25 years. We don't want war, bloodshed and tears. Let this tyranny end.

 

Stating that they were able to file a criminal complaint only in 2013 due to the pressure they were subjected to, the family stated that  no progress was made despite hearing the witnesses in the investigation run by the prosecutor.

 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut