"Strip search" continues to be imposed in prisons and police stations. Even though AKP officials declare that "there is no strip search", every day a different prison or police station is subjected to "strip search". Abdullah Adli, Baver Coşkun and Berdan Kurt, who were arrested on different dates and taken to Marmara (Silivri) Prison, stated in a message sent through their lawyers that they were subjected to both "strip searches" and violance. 

 

Abdullah Adli was detained on 23 August and arrested on 28 August on the charge of "making propaganda for an illegal organisation". Adli was taken to Metris Tyoe R Prison and released after 2 months of detention. Two days after his release, Adli was attempted to be kidnapped by people claiming to be "plainclothes police officers". Adli was detained again on 25 October in a house raid and was arrested this time on the allegation of "being an illegal organisation member". Adli was transferred to Metris Prison after his arrest and to Marmara Prison on 31 October. 

 

Adli stated that he was subjected to "strip search" during both detention and arrest. Adli stated that he was made to listen to "racist songs" at the Istanbul Courthouse and called for public awareness against "strip search" and violance. 

 

5 DETENTIONS, 3 ARRESTS IN 2 YEARS 

 

Berdan Kurt, a member of the Youth Assembly of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), stated that he was detained 5 times in 2 years, arrested 3 times and abducted 1 time by “civil police officers”. Kurt was detained in a house raid on 6 December 2022. Detained due to his parliamentary activities, Kurt was arrested on the allegation of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. Kurt was released at the first hearing in April 2022.

 

Kurt continued his parliamentary activities after his release and was detained on 14 July 2023 while sitting in a park in Bayrampaşa. Kurt said about what happened at the Provincial Security Directorate, ‘I was tortured here. When I refused to give my phone password despite all the pressure, the police said, ‘You can either go to the mountains or to Europe. Otherwise I will take you into custody every two months,’ he said.  

 

IMPOSITION OF SPYING 

 

Kurt was detained on 13 August 2023, this time in his hometown of Êlih (Batman). Kurt was released after his statement at the police station and returned to Istanbul. On 6 October, Kurt was detained in Istanbul by people calling themselves ‘plainclothes police officers’. Kurt described what happened after his abduction as follows: ‘I was taken to Topkapı Cemetery and forced to be a spy. I was subjected to torture because I did not accept this. I was released afterwards.’

 

‘NO INJURY REPORT GIVEN’

 

The threats of detention and arrest against Kurt continued in the following periods. After being detained in Istanbul on 13 February, he was arrested on 17 February on charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and taken to Marmara Prison. Kurt was released in July. 

 

Kurt was detained again on 25 October and was arrested on charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. Kurt stated that he was subjected to violence at the Provincial Security Directorate where he was taken after his detention. 

 

POLICE VIOLENCE IN A BLIND SPOT

 

Baver Coşkun, who was detained along with 8 other people during house raids in Istanbul on 16 November, also stated that he was subjected to similar practices. Coşkun, a 4th year student at Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, was detained together with 8 other people. While 3 people were released with judicial control, Coşkun and 5 others were arrested on charges of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and ‘being an illegal organisation member’. 

 

The arrested persons were temporarily taken to Metris Type R Prison on 20 November. 6 people were subjected to strip search and insults. 

 

Coşkun, who is currently held in Marmara Prison, pointed out that they were taken to the custody of the courthouse after the arrest decision and said: ‘The police insulted us here. When we reacted to this, they took us to the car park of the courthouse where the cameras could not see us. We were subjected to torture here. We were kept handcuffed behind our backs for 2 hours in cold weather.’  

 

Pointing out that similar practices continued in Metris Prison, Coşkun said: ‘Soldiers started to insult us after looking at our files. Then the guards imposed a strip search on us. We did not accept this and stated that it was against human dignity. However, the guards insulted us this time and imposed the strip search on us in this way. They forcibly took off our clothes.’ 

 

MA / Ömer İbrahimoğlu