İSTANBUL - Three university students who were detained on May Day for celebrating the day at Taksim Square told that they were battered in a in a room free of CCTVs.

 

Workers and labourers wanting to take to the streets to celebrate May Day were subjected to police violence, this time due to the measures taken against the coronavirus pandemic. 255 people were battered and detained in İstanbul who wanted to celebrate the May Day in Taksim. Three women, university students who were battered in a room free of cameras spoke to Mesopotamia Agency (MA) and told about the ordeal they went through. 

 

One of the students battered by the police is Şilan Delipalta from Women's Collective, told that they faced the latest attack on the democratic rights on May Day.

 

Sharing that she tought they were going to kill them until the minute they were released, Delipalta said the police officers who detained them, choked them and some of their friends fainted, not being able to breathe.

 

THEY TOOK US TO A ROOM WITH NO CAMERAS

 

Telling that 21 of them were squeezed in a bus, Delipalta said: "O female police started battering our friend Lizge. When Lizge reacted, she was battered more. We all protested when we saw what they were doing to her. Almost 20 police officers came, trying to stop us reach Lizge to help, gaining time for the female police to beat Lizge. Two male police officers held me down for a female police officer to kick me. Then they took us to a room with no cameras to beat us."

 

Pointing out that they filed a criminal complaint against the police who battered them, Delipalta said: "We remember their faces. We will hold those who rely on the circular to detain people illegally and beat people accountable ."

 

THEY KICKED US WHILE WE WERE ON THE GROUND

 

Student activity member Lizge Biter told that especially the female police officers beat them while they were taken to the holding cells. Biter said: "A female police officer was choking me and two female police officer held Şilan's arms for the other police to kick her. It was all chaos. Then they threw us on the ground and started kicking us. Then they took us to a room with no cameras and beat us there. The aim of the circular was very clear at that moment. What the government want to hide is the bruises on our bodies caused by their beating and the gas cannisters."

 

 

MA / Berfin Karaman