Police shot and killed a dog in the garden of a family home during a Dec 17 morning raid in Ağrı, eastern Turkey, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reported. The operation, which was later revealed to have been based on a false tip-off, took place in the İsaağa neighborhood of Diyadin district.
The dog, which had recently given birth to five puppies, was shot multiple times before officers entered the garden of Bayram Sarı. “We heard gunshots from the garden before they even entered the house,” Sarı said, noting that the raid took place at around 6 am.
“Then they knocked on the door, and we opened it. They forced us to the ground," he recounted. "While we were lying there, I saw the officers joking and laughing among themselves.”
"We have around 50 sheep that had just given birth, and [police] drove them all outside. After they searched the house and found nothing, they came to me and said, ‘Sorry for the inconvenience.’ I didn’t shake their hands," Sarı added.
MP raises incident in parliament
Following the incident, Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party deputy Perihan Koca brought the issue to the agenda of the parliament, submitting a parliamentary question to the interior minister.
“The operation turned out to be based on a false report, and the police left after apologizing to the homeowner,” Koca said. “The family also shared footage of the incident with us, but due to the disturbing nature of the images, I chose not to publish them.”
Koca submitted a series of parliamentary questions to Minister Ali Yerlikaya, seeking answers about the operation and the conduct of the officers involved. She asked whether the incident was carried out with the ministry’s knowledge, if any investigation had been launched, and what steps were being taken to hold those responsible accountable. Koca also questioned whether there were any official orders allowing animals to be killed during such operations and under what legal authority the officers used their weapons.
“What measures are being taken by your ministry to prevent the unauthorized and uncommanded use of firearms by police officers?” she asked. (TY/VK)
