On 15 February, a trustee was appointed to the Wan (Van) Metropolitan Municipality under the administration of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). 348 people, including 70 children, were detained during the protests against the trustee decision. 44 of them were arrested. According to the rights violations report of legal and civil society organisations in the city, 16 children and 90 adults were subjected to torture during detention. The report stated that 55 people were injured in vital areas. It is also stated that those who were subjected to torture were found to have fractures in their heads, arms and hands and severe beating marks on their bodies. The report also stated that 2 people who were released had partial loss of vision. Rêya Armûşê (İpekyolu) Municipality Council member Seyit Kılıç was also beaten during the raid to the municipality on the day of the trustee decision. Kılıç suffered vision loss due to the violence.

 

BEATEN FOR HOURS

 

Describing the violence he was subjected to, Kılıç said that the police attacked those inside the municipality with gas bombs and rubber bullets at around 04.00 am in the morning without any warning. Kılıç said, "The MPs closed the doors to negotiate. But the police started kicking the doors. They broke the doors with gas bombs and rubber bullets and tried to enter. They broke the doors of the rooms and detained the young people, women and mothers who were there by dragging them on the floor and torturing them."

 

Kılıç pointed out that he was also subjected to violence and said, "After being handcuffed behind my back, they climbed on top of me. They attacked and tortured me for hours. They hit my head, ear, neck, eyes and back with kicks, slaps and batons for hours. I remember the police officers saying 'do not hit them in the face during detention, hit them wherever else you can'. When the police officer said these words, I had partial loss of vision and I was unconscious."

 

Kılıç stated that the violence continued in the detention vehicle and added that a woman fainted due to violence and they were not allowed to help her. Kılıç said, "They did not intervene anyone who fainted or got injured due to torture. Lastly, they detained a male friend by grabbing his feet and dragging him on the ground. 9 out of every 10 people fainted due to torture. They had clearly come to kill people. They beat all young people and women until they fainted."

 

Kılıç stated that he applied to the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey against the violence he was subjected to and said: "Torture is a crime against humanity, it is against human dignity."

 

MA / Ruken Polat