Villagers detained in Tatvan give their statements at gendarme station
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Following the air operation on the rural area of Söğütlü village in Tatvan, Bitlis, a raid was carried out by soldiers in the village, resulting in the detention of eight villagers. The interrogation process of these detainees commenced at the Tatvan District Gendarme Station.
On August 10, following the air bombardment conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the rural area of Söğütlü village, soldiers launched an operation in the village. Kerem Avras, Mustafa Tedbirli, Hikmet Tedbirli, Necip Tedbirli, Ahmet Çelik, Heybet Çelik, Serkan İpek, and Garip İpek were detained. They were held at gendarmerie stations in the central district of Bitlis, Tatvan, Ahlat, and Güroymak. Kerem Avras, one of the villagers, was subjected to torture during the detention, his photographs revealed.
Hüseyin Avras, who is a cousin of the Avras brothers and spoke to bianet, stated that they have not been able to obtain clear information about the fate of Ekrem and Fetullah Avras, two brothers whose whereabouts have been unknown since the operation in the village.
Lawyer Berfin Ozan, speaking to bianet, reminded that soldiers subjected Kerem Avras to torture during his arrest, stating, "Soldiers assaulted him in the village. However, he wasn't given a medical report indicating assault when they took him to the hospital on August 11th."
"Avras has two cracks in his ribs"
Lawyer Ozan further explained that she visited Avras, who was detained on August 12th, and noted, "He had difficulty walking. There were bruises on his face. We sent him to the hospital again and obtained a medical report confirming assault. He has two cracks in his ribs on the left side."
Photo: Green Left Party (YSP) MP and HDP board members visited the village on August 12
Ozan mentioned that she expects the eight villagers to be brought to court tomorrow.
Restrictions on villagers' movement
Yeşil Sol Parti Bitlis MP Semra Çağlar Gökalp, speaking to bianet, stated that the blockade in the village has ended, but there is a "de facto ban" on movement to the smaller hamlets. She noted that while the initial entry and exit ban in the village had been lifted, difficulties remain for villagers to take their animals to graze in the hamlets or visit their vineyards and gardens in that area.
What happened?
On August 10, following the TSK's air bombardment in the rural area of Söğütlü village, soldiers conducted an operation in the village, resulting in the detention of Kerem Avras, Mustafa Tedbirli, Hikmet Tedbirli, Necip Tedbirli, Ahmet Çelik, Heybet Çelik, Serkan İpek, and Garip İpek. Kerem Avras was subjected to torture during his detention. (NT/PE)
