In response to the Syrian interim government forces' offensive on the Kurdish-held areas in the country, a protest was held by Kurdish groups on Jan 20 in the Nusaybin district of the border province of Mardin.
While the demonstration was met with police response, footage emerged online showing a Turkish flag being taken down on the border.
The Justice Ministry announced that 14 people had been detained in connection with the events. Among them was D.K., identified as the person who allegedly took the flag down. Later, footage shared on social media showed D.K. being subjected to torture.
Mistreatment continued at hospital
D.K., who was allegedly beaten and tortured for hours while in police custody, was first taken to Nusaybin State Hospital, then transferred to Mardin Training and Research Hospital due to the severity of his condition.
Lawyer Berivan Orhan said hospital staff were attentive when D.K. was first brought in, but this changed after police intervened. According to Orhan, two police officers interrupted a doctor who came to provide information and took the doctor to another room. After that meeting, the doctor’s attitude toward the patient shifted.
Despite his critical condition, D.K. was discharged today and brought before a judge. His lawyers recorded a statement summarizing their objections:
Minute recorded by lawyers
"After learning that a decision had been made to discharge D.K. while his treatment at the hospital was still ongoing, we arrived at Mardin Training and Research Hospital around 12.00 pm on Jan 23, 2026. Based on medical findings, patient statements, and health reports in the file, it is evident that the patient has multiple spinal fractures, skull fractures, numerous stitches on the head and face, and signs of internal bleeding. These indicate life-threatening injuries. Discharging the patient in this state is clearly incompatible with medical necessity, patient safety, the right to life, and the requirement for continuous medical supervision.
We immediately and verbally objected to the discharge decision, clearly stating that due to the patient’s critical condition, the possibility of a life-threatening situation, and the need for constant monitoring, the decision should be reversed.
This action also violates:
Article 4 of the Patient Rights Regulation, which ensures the right to healthcare in a manner respecting human dignity,
Article 11, which guarantees fair and equitable access to healthcare,
Article 13, which guarantees diagnosis, treatment, and care in accordance with medical requirements,
Article 23, which secures the right to safety,
Article 17 of the Constitution, which protects the right to life and prohibits torture and ill-treatment,
Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
"Nevertheless, the discharge was carried out without any justification, ignoring the patient’s life-threatening condition.
"This practice not only breaches medical ethics and professional standards but also violates national and international human rights law. In particular, states have a positive obligation to ensure that those subjected to torture or ill-treatment can access uninterrupted, attentive, and effective healthcare. Failure to meet this obligation may result in severe consequences.
"We have therefore documented in this statement our clear determination that the discharge decision was likely made on grounds other than medical necessity and poses serious risks to the patient’s physical integrity and life."
Recorded as 'falling from a tower'
Due to a confidentiality order on the case, lawyer Berivan Orhan said they were unable to obtain details about the trial. However, she noted that official records described D.K.’s injuries as the result of "falling from a tower."
Despite video evidence of torture, official documents claim that D.K. was injured by stones thrown by civilians and then fell. The police report states:
"The report was filed on Jan 20, 2026, at 6.15 pm. Youths who entered the military restricted zone of the Faruk Gezen Border Post without permission shouted slogans. During this time, other youths below threw stones at the tower, striking him, causing him to fall."
Orhan stated that the report does not reflect the truth. She also noted that D.K. was not asked any questions related to the flag incident during the hearing. He was brought before the court today on charges of "terrorist propaganda."
‘The incident did not happen in Nusaybin’
Beritan Güneş Altın, a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s Human Rights Inquiry Committee and a Mardin MP from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, provided further details:
“D.K. has a brain hemorrhage and severe kidney damage. His internal organs are injured. There is spinal trauma, and fractures in his head and lower back. He was also left in the cold. The footage said to have been taken in Nusaybin does not reflect reality. According to his own account, there was no flag incident. There wasn’t even a flag there.
"This is clearly a provocation designed to pit communities against each other, weaken the collective strength of protests, and incite public unrest. The circulated footage was not recorded in Nusaybin. After his lawyers informed us of the torture allegations, we went there, asked about his condition, read his statement, and spoke with officials. Both the Mardin Governor’s Office and Nusaybin District Governor’s Office, as well as the police, are fully aware that no flag incident occurred here.” (AB/VK)
