Verdict of Non-prosecution in Investigation into ‘Handcuffing bianet Correspondent from Behind’

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 İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor has passed a verdict of non-prosecution into the investigation, which was launched a year ago, into the incident of bianet correspondent Beyza Kural being beaten up and handcuffed from behind by police.

While covering a public protest against the Council of Higher Education on November 6, 2015 in Beyazıt of İstanbul, bianet correspondent Beyza Kural was beaten up and handcuffed from behind.

With regard to the accusations against the police offices Y.Ş., N.D. and K.A for “exceeding the scope of right to use force and thus causing injuries”, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office decided that “injuries of the correspondent did not constitute a life-threatening situation” and that the “police officers therefore did not go beyond the scope of their authorization to use force”.

Although the photographs presented to the prosecution clearly demonstrated that Kural had her press card in her hand hand while she was taken into custody, the police officers in their testimonies claimed that Kural did not show her press card.

The police officer who was recorded while saying "From now on nothing will be like before, we will teach it to you", has stated that he could not remember exactly what his motivation for using that sentence was.

Kural’s attorneys will object to the decision.

Upon being asked by the European Council about the police violence against the bianet correspondent, Turkey had responded that Kural was taken into custody as she was mistaken for a protester and released after finding out that she was a journalist. (ÇT/DG)

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