Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Amed(Diyarbakır) Branch announced its 7-month report on the rights violations in the city at the association building. In addition to the lawyers who are members of the association, Eğitim Sen and People's Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP) executives also attended the statement. ÖHD Amed Branch Co-Chair Rıza Polat drew attention that Turkey does not comply with the laws to which it is a party.

 

THE SITUATION OF PRISONS

 

Karayılan evaluated the decisions regarding "no need for prosecution" as "a result of the security approach and the policy of impunity". Karayılan said: "The political power, which does not want to limit itself with any rules and norms, especially the Constitution, does not take into account international mechanisms and their criticisms and warnings. It does not make improvements to prevent torture."

 

Drawing attention that prisons are among the places where torture and ill-treatment practices are intensely experienced, Karayılan said: "Prisoners are exposed to strip searches, physical intervention, standing count impositions, beatings, insults, aggravated isolation, being held alone in single rooms and cells for long periods of time, and not being allowed to benefit from social activities, and are subjected to many similar practices. They are subjected to torture practices that harm both their physical and spiritual integrity."

 

The findings in the report are as follows:

 

“* During the Newroz event held in the city on March 21, 2023, apart from those who were unregistered, nearly 350 people, including 57 children, were detained with torture and ill-treatment, and hundreds of detained people were handcuffed and held in the vehicle for hours.

 

* On March 28, 2023, in the corridors of the courthouse in Bismil District, a 72 percent disabled citizen was subjected to torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement officers, first in front of a prosecutor's office and then in the toilet of the courthouse. An application was made to the institution by our members in the courthouse.

 

* Approximately 200 people were detained under torture within the scope of the operation launched on April 25, 2023, based in Diyarbakır; Those detained were taken to different police stations of the city and a 24-hour ban on seeing lawyers was imposed and no news was received from them. Later findings revealed that the detained citizens were held in stuffy environments with a large number of people, exceeding the capacity of the detention room. Subsequently, the citizens who were taken to the courthouse were held in plastic handcuffs in the courthouse corridors for hours; likewise, citizens who were taken to the prosecutor's office for interrogation were made to stand for more than 1 hour under inhumane conditions and their statements were taken.

 

* 4 citizens working as shepherds in Türeli village of Lice were claimed to be suspects and were unfairly and unlawfully subjected to torture and ill-treatment by the law enforcement officers in the morning hours, were handcuffed face down on the ground, and then were released with the intervention of the villagers. It was learned from the video that someone shared on the social media account Tiktok on July 12, 2023, with the title 'REVENGE'. H.Y., one of the victims of the incident. He applied to the institution.

 

* On July 17, 2023, while detaining 3 citizens in Rıhan Park, the law enforcement intervened disproportionately, targeted the citizens' eyes and sprayed them with pepper gas, and then took them to the police vehicle and tortured and mistreated them there for a while. One of the victims of the incident, M.S. He applied to the institution.

 

* On August 26, 2023, 4 citizens working as coaches in Silvan were detained with torture and ill-treatment, and then their tents, which were their living spaces, were burned by law enforcement forces. They were prevented from seeing a lawyer by imposing a 24-hour ban on seeing a lawyer. According to the images shown to the press, it can be seen that the two citizens were made to lie on the ground, naked and handcuffed behind their backs.

 

* 105 citizens who participated in the press release planned to be held in Koşuyolu Park on October 9, 2023, were detained with torture and ill-treatment, the citizens were held handcuffed in the detention vehicle for hours, and they were not given water or food for more than 12 hours during their detention.”