Gergerlioğlu says he was battered by police while being taken into custody

Photo: Salih Gergerlioğlu / Twitter

Click to read the article in Turkish

Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a human rights advocate and a member of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was taken into custody yesterday (March 21) at the parliament, where he was protesting the decision revoking his parliamentary mandate. He was released later in the day.

Gergerlioğlu's statements that he requested to perform his morning prayer and change his clothes before being taken into custody were excluded by police from his testimony, according to his attorneys.

His son Salih Gergerlioğlu tweeted after his detention that "My father was detained while he was performing ablutions."

The politician's attorneys Sercan Aran, Kerem Altıparmak and Kenan Maçoğlu later added his statements to his testimony:

"When I went to the toilet and went out to wash my hands in the morning, I saw a group of parliamentary police officers waiting there. I washed my hands and performed ablution.

"I told police officers that I wanted to perform my morning prayer and then procedures could be done after I get dressed. I wanted to perform my prayer quickly in the narrow period of time for the morning prayer and said I wanted to get dressed. But they didn't allow it and took my arm, making me walk quickly."

Drawing: Gianluca Costantini

"I was unable to wear my clothes and shoes and had to go out with my slippers. They pulled me and when we got off the elevator, I said, 'What are you doing?' Despite that, they put me in the police car by using force.

"This was done with my pajamas on me and slippers on my feet. I think this was done on purpose to release inappropriate footage of me to the public. Also, my freedom of worship has been violated.

"During this use of force, ecchymoses occurred on my left forearm. Muscle pains have also occurred in my neck. I have difficulties bending my right hand second finger as well.

"The doctor's report doesn't include that I have difficulties bending my finger, which I felt after the heat of the incident was over. My freedom of expressing myself and freedom of worship have been violated. And I was battered by the use of force." (HA/VK)