Allegation of Torture in Urfa Prison: I Will Kill You Here

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Abdürrahim Durgun (28) and Musa Günay (27), two inmates from Urfa No. 2 Type T Prison, were allegedly battered by prison wardens.

After the families of both prisoners applied to the Urfa Bar Association about the issue, lawyer Mustafa Vefa, a member of the Urfa Bar Association Human Rights Commission, visited Urfa Prison.

Speaking to bianet, lawyer Mustafa Vefa has indicated that inmate Abdürrahim Durgun was battered by four prison wardens in a room where there were no surveillance cameras recording videos.

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According to Vefa, inmate Durgun told him the following:

Chief warden allegedly threatened inmates: 'Be men or...'

"After Abdürrahim Durgun left the open visitation, he started walking towards his ward as usual. A warden called out from behind and ordered them to walk. Another warden in front of them asked them to stop. In response, Durgun asked the wardens, 'Which one of you are we supposed to listen?' The wardens, in turn, battered Durgun and brought him to the ward.

"After the count, four wardens took Durgun to a point where there were no surveillance cameras. Two wardens held him by the arms and the other two wardens tortured him. While the wardens were inflicting violence, the chief warden entered the room and asked them, 'What is going on?'. Durgun told the chief warden that they were beating him.

"While he was thinking that he would stop the other wardens, the chief warden slapped him in the face and pushed his head against the wall, saying 'You will be a man or I will lay you on the ground and kill you.' He randomly kicked him in every part of his body.

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'There were bruises on his body'

"They brought Durgun back to the ward by dragging him on the floor. Another inmate named Musa protested. He asked them what they did to Durgun. This time, they took Musa and inflicted violence on him, just like they did to Durgun. When the wardens brought Musa to the ward, they told the other inmates, 'From now on, you will be men or we will give you the merry hell.

'They were referred to hospital after the doctor insisted'

"Both inmates wanted to go to the sick room after this incident. The doctor at the sick room wanted them to be referred to hospital immediately. At first, the prison administration resisted to this request, but it referred them to hospital later on. Both inmates were given a medical report, documenting the violence they were subjected to in prison.

"When I visited the prison, Durgun was brought back from the hospital. I wanted him to take off his clothes. His body was full of bruises and black-and-blue marks. There were also marks of battery on his face and head. Musa Günay was at hospital at that time, but we learnt that he was battered much harder. We will file a criminal complaint at the prosecutor's office after meeting Günay. We will also request that both inmates be referred to the Forensic Medicine Institute and receive a medical report from there as well."

Though we called the Urfa No. 2 Type T Prison about the allegations, they did not make any statements or comments about the issue. (RT/SD)