Photo: Roman Dialogue Network (Poster: "Those who Discriminate Should Also be Educated"
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Tomorrow (January 17), a court will hold the first hearing of a case where a Roma family is being charged with "insulting and resisting" police officers in İstanbul.
However, in the first place, the Roma family was the party to make a criminal complaint about the police officers with allegations of insult, racism, and torture.
The complaint by the Bayar family came after an event at a wedding ceremony on May 31, 2022.
The family also has an assault report from the hospital received after the event.
No indictment has yet been prepared for the police officers while İstanbul Anadolu Prosecutor's Office did prepare an indictment including charges of "insulting and resisting against the police officers" against the family.
The first hearing of the related case will be heard at the İstanbul Anadolu 31st Penal Court of First Instance tomorrow morning.
"The injured family made the suspect"
Romani Godi and ERRC (European Roma Rights Center) invited the human rights activists, and all those against Anti-Gypsyism to be in solidarity with the family.
Romani Goci issued a statement where the association said, "A reprisal case was opened against the Bayır family who did not give up their search for justice after the police officers wanted to cover the allegations of torture saying "they fell from the balcony" or "they had a fight between themselves."
"The Bayır family made a complaint indicating that they have been subjected to torture, Anti-Gypsyism, and racist statements. No indictment has been prepared in relation to the related police officers but the prosecution is now making the injured family the suspect by requesting sentences for the family members who are in search of justice for charges of "insulting and resisting" police officers."
Solidarity statement from 30 organizations
Thirty organizations from Türkiye issued a joint statement of solidarity with the Bayar family.
There are prominent human rights organizations, civil rights initiatives, Roman rights organizations, organizations for the rights of disabled persons, organizations of lawyers, women, and LGBTI people, and initiatives against racism, and Anti-Gypsyism among the signatories.
"Practices that may cause the disadvantaged groups to feel oppressed in cases of violations of their human rights are concerning. As the signatory non-governmental organizations, we are in solidarity with the Bayır family in this judicial process which is not only specific to the Bayır family who is in search of justice, but targeting the Roma community" the joint statement said.
What happened?
The police officers instructed that the wedding ceremony should end and detained Bayır claiming he "resisted the police officers." The Bayır family said that they were called "Gypsies" and insulted at the police station. Resul Bayır, Yaşar Bayır, and Hüseyin Bayır made a criminal complaint saying that they had been subjected to torture at the garden of the Ataşehir Mustafa Kemal Police Station and outside. On June 10, the Republican People's Party İzmir MP Özcan Purçu brought up the claims in the parliament and directed written questions to the Interior and Justice Ministers. |
(TY/PE)
