URFA - Lawyer Mehmet Ali Aslan stated that even the statements of those who tortured the villagers in Halfeti two years ago were not taken, İHD Urfa Branch Co-Chair Mustafa Vefa drew attention to the systematic torture and impunity.

 

In the clash between HPG members and police officers in Dergili (Derto) District of Halfeti district of Urfa  on 18 May 2019, 1 police officer and 2 HPG members lost their lives, 55 people were taken into custody for alleged links to the incident at the Yaylak Gendarmerie Station and were subjected to torture, electrocuted, sexually assaulted and beaten. Two years have passed since the incident recorded as 'Halfeti torture'.

 

While legal action was taken against 24 of the 55 people, 13 people were arrested.

 

While the tortured was widely discussed both in Turkey and in international arena, Amnesty International started an urgent campaign and British parliament tabled motions regarding the torture. As a result of the public reactions and the initiatives of the Urfa Bar Association, an expert report was prepared by 3 gendarmerie personnel within the scope of the investigation launched against some police officers in the TEM Branch. Personnel in charge of the Yaylak Gendarmerie Station, where the torture took place, were assigned to review the 6 terabyte CCTV images. The gendermerie personnel later claimed that there was no torture, after reviewing the footage. Following the objections made by the Urfa Bar Association, the footage was sent to Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institude (ATK). The review of the footage has not been completed despite the passing 12 months.

 

Human Rights Association (İHD) Urfa Branch Co-chair Mustafa Vefa, who took part in the delegation formed on behalf of the Urfa Bar Association for the purpose of detecting and reporting ill-treatment, torture and violations of rights during the detention period of the citizens, Mehmet Ali Aslan President of the Human Rights Commission of Urfa Bar Association, who has been following the legal process closely evaluated the fact that there has been no law suit was filed against the torturer law enforcement officers.

 

PHOTOS OF TORTURE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

 

Stating that the photos of torture was shared on social media from a JİTEM account, Vefa said: "The lawyers have met with their clients about these photos and it was determined that they were tortured. Those who were released from custody was covered in blood and had bruises and scars. We have established a committee and spoke to our clients and reported these meetings."

 

IMPUNITY

 

Stating that they filed a criminal complaint with the Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the torture, Vefa said, “We have seen that thgere was impunity against these law enforcement officers. Our demand was that those who were released from custody and those still detained would be examined at the Forensic Medicine Institude to determine the extent of the torture. Our demand was accepted for some of these citizens but we haven't seen the results yet. They are stalling us for the last 12 months."

 

'SYSTEMATIC TORTURE'

 

Underlining that those who torture these citizens could be determined with the statements of those who were tortured, Vefa told that torture is systematic. Vefa who told that they will insist on revealing the perpetrators, Vefa said: "If the systematic torture and maltreatment can not be uncovered it will continue and increase even more. We know that people are still being tortured at the Anti terror unit. We will continue to battle systematic torture."

 

JUDICIAL ARMOUR

 

Mentioning the 'Human's right action plan' of the government, Vefa said it was all a lie. Underlining that the law enforcement officers in the region can not be inspected, Vefa said: "Women are being sexually assaulted. It is not a very hard thing to stop these things. All victims of torture talks about a room on the second floor of the Anti Terror Unit. Despite the countless criminal complaint, we still don't know what there is inside that room. Those who work there are protected by a judicial armour, even though there are CCTV recordings."

 

' WE WILL BATTLE TORTURE'

 

Stating that the human's rights organizations in the region must create an urgent action plan regarding torture, Vefa said: "The perpetrators of torture must be examined independently. Tortre cases should not drop due to prescription. The trauma of torture stays with the victims for life. The torture in Halfeti was committed before the children. People came to a point that being beaten is not torture. We will battle torture until it's dissappeared from these lands."

 

 

NO DEVELOPMENTS ON THE CASE

 

The head of the Urfa Bar Association Human Rights Commission, Mehmet Ali Aslan, who has been following the legal process closely said there has been no developments on the case in the past 2 years. Aslan said: "We have asked the people at the Anti Terror Unit if there was torture. They said they have seen no indication of torture. The CCTV footage is still at the forensic medicine institude. The extent of the torture will be revealed once the inspection of the footage is completed. Even though we insistantly ask if the footage has been reviewed, they say it is not completed yet. We knew it would take some time but did not anticipate it would take more than a year. There has been a serious incident and it must be inspected. Even though two years have passed since the torture, not one single police officer has been questioned. As the lawyers of the file and the Urfa Bar Association, we will not let go of the torture crime that has been commited.

 

MA / Emrullah Acar