HATAY - Drawing attention to the violence in Hatay, where the wounds of the earthquake are being tried to be healed, ÖHD's Mehdi Zana Akkaya said: “Applications are received regarding the use of force by the gendarmerie and law enforcement against citizens. Political parties and non-governmental organizations need to step in against them." 

 

Many unlawfulness and violations of rights in the earthquake region came to the fore with the State of Emergency (OHAL) declared by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after the earthquake that took place in Maraş on February 6. Mehdi Zana, lawyers from the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Mersin Branch, located in the Crisis Coordination Center established in Hatay on February 7 under the leadership of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), spoke about what happened in the city.

 

APPLICATIONS TO TORTURE

 

Stating that after the government declared a state of emergency in response to the devastation caused by the earthquake, violent incidents began to emerge, Akkaya said: "At the same time, applications about the use of force by the gendarmerie and law enforcement against citizens began to come. Most of those battered and subjected to force were immigrant families. We received applications that the law enforcement officers beat him without question due to theft and foreign nationality. Six people were detained in the house raids in Altınözü district, and Ahmet Güreşçi died as a result of the torture he was subjected to at the police station. Likewise, his older brother Sabri Güreşçi, who was tortured in the police station, was seriously injured and was taken to hospital for treatment. There are also foreign nationals who are subjected to torture and are afraid to contact us and tell us their names. The reason for not revealing their names is the fear of being deported."

 

MILITARY AND POLICE

 

Pointing out that another problem in Hatay is the long-barreled police and soldiers roaming the streets with armored and civilian vehicles without license plates, Akkaya said: “The vehicles are stopped without any doubt. On the way to other coordination centers, we are stopped 3-4 times. Nothing is said. There are such applications."

 

CALL AGAINST OHAL

 

Pointing out that political parties and non-governmental organizations should step in against the violence and unlawfulness experienced, Akkaya continued: "We are doing what needs to be done in terms of human rights regarding these. Civil society and political parties also need to work on lifting the state of emergency. This is where the state of emergency is lifted. It is a disaster area; however, there is a frightening environment, this environment needs to be eliminated."