Autopsy Report Says Police Officer Shot Refugee from Three Meters

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Autopsy report of a refugee who was killed by a police officer in southern Turkey yesterday(April 28) revealed that he was shot at a distance of three meters, Adana Bar Association has stated.

Ali al-Hamdan (19) from Syria was shot due to not abiding by the "stop" warning of the police during an ID check as part of partial curfew measures, according to which people younger than 20 and older than 65 are banned from going out.

The police officer shot al-Hamdan once in the heart, said Veli Küçük, the chair of Adana Bar Association, citing the autopsy report and witness statements.

He added that al-Hamdan's family came to Adana province seven years ago from Aleppo, Syria. Turkey hosts some 3.6 million refugees who fled the country during the course of the nine-year war.

"It is stated that the youngster was outside because he had to work and he ran in order not to be penalized and it is heard in the footage of the incident that some eyewitnesses say 'the police shot him in the heart'," Küçük said.

The police's use of for was unacceptable, while it was appropriate to open administrative and judicial investigations and remand the police officer in custody, he said. (AÖ/VK)