URFA - Urfa Bar Association President Abdullah Öncel who stated that they have informed the Chief Prosecutor's Office about the torture and maltreatment in Halfeti, said: "The Chief Prosecutor stated that he has assigned a prosecutor on the investigation."

 

 

On 18 May, there was a clash between the soldiers and 2 alleged members of HPG in the Dergili (Derto) neighborhood of Halfeti district of Urfa. In the conflict, a deputy officer and 2 alleged HPG members lost their lives while 2 police officers were injured.

 

After the incident, 51 citizens from Derto, Sırataşlar and Bozova, Koçhisar districts were taken under custody

 

The detainees were taken to the gendarmerie station and Urfa TEM Branch where they were subjected to severe torture.

 

The President of Urfa Bar Association, Abdullah Öncel, who has been following the incident since the beginning, spoke to the Mesopotamian Agency (MA) on latest developments. 

 

 

Öncel who stated that they informed the Urfa Chief Prosecutor's office about the torture claims in Counter Terrorism Unit (TEM), said: "We applied for the detainees to be referred to Forensic Medicine Institution (FMI) for medical reports immediately. I spoke to the chief prosecutor that day on the phone. He told us he assigned a prosecutor on the investigation, and that they will take statements from the TEM officials and that some of the detainees will be referred to FMI. We know that the investigationw as launched on this regard. In addition the Human Rights Center of our bar is still taking applications from the detainees that claim they were tortured for reportage."