AMED - The defendant police officers did not attend the first hearing of the case filed against the torture of 14-year-old Y.D. in Licê. While Y.D. was describing police brutality, the defendants' requests for arrest were rejected.

 

The first hearing of the case was filed against İ.A., E.Ö., G.B. regarding the kidnapping and torture of 14-year-old Y.D. in Amed's Licê (Lice) district on March 21. A.O. and H.C. was held at the Lice Criminal Court of First Instance. The police officers, who were accused of "depriving a person of liberty by using force and threats" and "damage to property", did not attend the hearing. Y.D. 's family, Greens and Left Future Party (Green Left Party) , Amed MPs Serhat Eren and Halide Türkoğlu, Human Rights Association (İHD) and Amed Bar Association lawyers were present at the hearing. Journalists were not allowed to watch the hearing on the grounds that "the hall is small".

 

Y.D. TOLD ABOUT THE TORTURE OF POLICE

 

Y.D. 's father and mother, who took the floor at the hearing, stated that they had a complaint against the defendant police officers. Explaining what happened accompanied by a pedagogue, Y.D. said: "I was caught by the police and beaten. I was beaten and tortured. Then they took me to an armored vehicle and continued beating me there. They told me, 'Curse the Kurds' and 'Curse Abdullah Öcalan.' They also shot a video of it. Meanwhile, I was threatened and beaten. They hit me with gun butts. Then, my hands were tied with plastic handcuffs and thrown on the side of the road. I went out of the ditch towards the road. A brother passing by on the road took me to Lice State Hospital. From there they took me to Dicle University Hospital. The police in both hospitals advised me not to file a complaint. I am filing a complaint."

 

'THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE EXPANDED'

 

Amed Bar Association and İHD Amed Branch requested to participate in the case. The court rejected the request. The child was removed from the courtroom at the request of the lawyers. Y.D.'s lawyers stated that the incident was a crime of torture and that it was a mistake not to prepare the indictment that way. Lawyers listed their demands: "The file should be brought to severe punishment. The investigation should be expanded. The individuals should be arrested."

 

 FOOTAGES INSIDE VEHICLE ARE REQUESTED

 

The lawyers also requested the Ministry of Internal Affairs Inspection Board Report on the police officers and the interior camera footage of the armored vehicle where the torture took place.

 

The defendant's lawyers, on the other hand, stated that their clients were not suitable, that they wanted to attend the hearing via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS), and requested the removal of the judicial control provisions and the return of the confiscated phones.

 

REJECTION OF ARREST REQUEST

 

After a short break, the court decided to take the defense of the police officers with instructions, reject the arrest request, continue the judicial checks of the police officers, prepare the police officers for the next hearing, and write a warrant to the Provincial Police Department for the vehicle camera recording.

 

The hearing was postponed to January 24, 2024.

 

STATEMENT AFTER THE HEARING

 

A statement was made in front of the courthouse after the hearing. Family lawyer Ramazan Karaalp reminded that they objected that the incident was torture in terms of the way it was committed, and this was rejected. Karaalp said: "Our struggle will continue until the parties are convicted of the crime of torture."

 

MP Halide Türkoğlu said that they were with the family. Stating that the torture against Kurdish children has become systematic, Türkoğlu noted that Kurdish children are the targets of those working in state institutions.

 

Emphasizing that children were tortured, Türkoğlu said: "We want everyone to be involved in this process. When the perpetrator is the state, there is a regime that walks around with impunity. We demand the arrest of the law enforcement officers who committed this torture."