Eleven civilians from Afrin remain in Turkish custody 

2019-06-27 16:57:22


	HATAY - The trial of eleven civilians from Afrin continued in the Turkish city of Hatay bordering Syria. The defendants had been arrested and severely tortured after the occupation of Afrin.

	The fourth hearing was held in the case against the 11 civilians detained by Ankara-backed gangs in Afrin and handed over to the Turkish intelligence services, and there were no releases.

	 

	The defendants were abducted last year from the northern Syrian canton of Afrin and imprisoned in Turkey. In early September, the Turkish government had spread the "success story" to have taken several fighters of the YPG in a "special mission" and brought into the country. Government-loyal media then released photos of nine apparently injured men. In fact, the alleged YPG fighters were civilians from the Afrin Canton occupied by Turkish troops and jihadist militias who were abducted, tortured and then handed over to the Turkish intelligence service on September 3, 2018. 15 days later, the men from Afrin were taken to Turkey.

	 

	The civilians are on trial for “disrupting the unity and integrity of the state” and “deliberate willful murder”. The hearing in Hatay was attended by the 11 defendants on trial and their lawyers.

	 

	Lawyers: Our clients were tortured

	 

	In court, the lawyers of the eleven defendants stated that their clients had been tortured for twelve days by the "FSA" and subsequently extradited to Turkey, where the torture continued at Hatay's Gendarmerie Station. The in both Afrin and Hatay involved FSA militiamen Abu Adnan and Abu Said. In order to force the prisoners to sign the desired statements, they have been pressured, among others, with threats against their wives, mothers and children.

	 

	The court ruled continuation of detention and adjourned the trial to 17 September.