Governors whitewashing torture, marginalizing citizens

2020-07-24 14:58:19


	DİYARBAKIR - Torture cases have increased in the cities of the region in recent years. Authorities are whitewashing torture, acquitting the perpetrators, which are law enforcement officers. Yakup Güven, a member of the IHD Combating Torture and Ill-Treatment Commission, said the governors were protecting the perpetrators and marginalizing citizens.

	According to the Humans' Rights Organization (İHD) data, 3 thousand 569 torture applications were filed in the cities of the region between 2010-2019. According to the data, public officials who use physical violence are correction officers (45%), police (39%) gendermerie (10%) and rangers (1%). The data also reveals that 'torture via police dogs' is becoming more popular as a new tactic. The torture with the dog has been on the agenda of the public with two events in Diyarbakır. However, in both cases, the Governor's Office accused the victims and acquitted the perpetrators with their statements.

	 

	1ST CASE: THEY TORTURED THE CITIZENS AND SHARED THEIR PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

	 

	Muhammed Emir Cura and Ferit Aytekin, suspects of the murder of a police officer on May 30 in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır. They were tortured at the police station where they surrendered. The photos of this torture were shared on social media. The photos caused outraged in the society and the governor's office made a statement, claiming that the suspects had razorblades under their tongues, and they hurt themselves. Even though the governor's office's statement claimed that suspects were not handcuffed behind the back, the photos proved otherwise.

	 

	2ND CASE: THEY WERE TORTURED IN THEIR OWN HOME

	 

	Following the murder of the police, an operation was launched in order to capture Muhammed Emir Cura. IN scope of this operation, law enforcement officers raided a house which had nothign to do with the murder of Cura. Busting through the door, police had the dogs attack Şeyhmus and Menice Yılmaz. The couple got an assault report from Selahattin Eyyubi State Hospital on May 31, proving they have been bitten by dogs. The Governor's Office refuted the claims, and the assault report and said, 'there was no deliberate attack by the dogs, on the persons in residence as claimed'. 

	 

	3RD CASE: SEVİL ROJBİN TORTURED VIA POLICE DOGS

	 

	Photos of Sevil Rojbin, a member of both Democratic Locak Administrations Board and Tevgera Jinên Azad (TJA), in which she was tortured, was shared on social media by her attorney. Rojbin was taken into custody in scope of an operation against Free Women's Movement (TJA) with dozens of women. The torture Rojbin was subjected to, have been documented with a medical report. Despite all evidence, Diyarbakır Governorship denied the torture and accused Rojbin. Governor's office once again claimed that 'there was no deliberate attack by the dogs, on the person as claimed' and launched an investigation against her attorney who shared the photos.

	 

	4TH CASE: TORTURE ON MINORS

	 

	Three minors who were accused of 'preparing to carry out an action' on the event of Abdullah Öcalan's delivery to Turkey on February 15 in the İpekyolu districkt of Van, have been subjected to torture during detention and in Tuşba police station. The torture was documented with medical reports, and Van Bar Association filed a criminal complaint against the law enforcement officers. The children stated that they were hit in the head with gun butss, their bodies and faces were punched and that their heads were inserted in toilet bowls. The torture on the three children was proved by the report received from Van Regional Training and Research Hospital.The General Directorate of Security argued that the allegations that the children were tortured did not reflect the truth, and that all the proceedings against the suspects in question were carried out in accordance with the law.

	 

	GÜVEN: THE JUDGEMENT IS BIASSED

	 

	Yakup Güven, member of the Commission for Combating Torture and Ill-Treatment, Diyarbakır Branch of Human Rights Association (İHD), spoke about the increased torture cases and the official statements made on the issue. Güven stated that the torture cases aren't being investigated efficiently and they are being covered up.

	 

	Mentioning the statements made by the governorships regarding the torture cases, Güven said: "Governor's Office insists that there are no intentional attacks against these individuals by the law enforcement officers, and even claim that they are acting that way in order to protect these individuals. This alone shows that the investigation on these cases will be ineffective and the decision given by the court will be biassed. The government tries to protect its own officers instead of the citizens in cases of torture and sexual attack. But we see that these officers are actually the one's violatin the right to life. Therefore, we can say that the governors are protecting their officers while marginalizing the citizens."

	 

	Güven continued: "Because the victims refrain themselves from excercising their rights. They are afraid of being cross with the government. They think if they remain silent, a better decision may come out of their case. And also we have witnessed in some cases recently that the law enforcement officers do not see any harm in sharing the photos of the torture in social media. They know that they will not be punished for their actions and more importantly, they are threatening the society with these photos. They show that they have the power to torture and they will not be punished. However, no one has the right or the authority to torture."