ISTANBUL - Lawyers stated that torture has become a form of government in Turkey and that those who use torture should be prosecuted.

 

4 young people who were subjected to violence were detained in the police attack on young people who danced halay accompanied by Kurdish songs on Moda beach in Kadıköy. Another young person was taken into custody for watching the violence of the police. The young people were beaten and taken to the Iskele Police Station, where they were put face down in handcuffs. The police, who continued the torture, shared footages of the moments when the mehter anthem was played on social media.

 

The youth, who were transferred to the Anadolu Courthouse in Kartal after the police proceedings, were released on the condition of judicial control by the court they were referred to after their statements were taken on the charges of "resisting not to do their duty" and "resisting the police".

 

The lawyers, who made evaluations about torture, which caused a great reaction in the public, and said that torture has become a form of administration. 

 

'TRUTH CONTAINS OPEN MESSAGE'

 

Gürkan Istekli, co-chairperson of the Lawyers' Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Istanbul Branch, stated that torture contains a clear message. Expressing that the attacks against Kurdish youth are not "individual", Istekli said: "This situation has become a systematic one. We open our eyes with a new attack every day. Kurdish youth are detained and tortured. It should be read in order to intimidate and hold back Kurdish youth. The torture experienced due to halay and song shows us the size of the fascist regime that is being built. We will file a criminal complaint against torture. The fact that the police tortured them so recklessly in front of the public, at a moment when the cameras were filming, and then had the young people they tortured listen to the mehter anthem and broadcast it, only shows that fascism has become ordinary and has begun to dominate the society."

 

'THIS IS A GOVERNMENT POLICY'

 

Ezgi Önalan, a lawyer from ÇHD, stated that they wanted to punish the young people who were tortured and said: “Trying is done to eradicate the traces of torture. He is trying to portray himself as a victim. Trying to criminalize the other person. He's trying to legitimize the torture here. And this happens all the time. This is a state policy. It is trying to marginalize the tortured person, lead them to arrest and try to punish them."