The Human Rights Association (IHD) branch co-chair Ozan Akbaş stated that the cases of systematic violence and torture reported in the press represent only the tip of the iceberg. He said: “Most of the time, victims do not file complaints because of the perpetrators’ uniforms and the perception of impunity. As a result, many cases do not even make it into official records.”
In Hakkari, where three cases of impunity have come to light in just the past week, citizens cannot even travel to their villages without undergoing General Information Gathering (GBT) checks, are searched wherever they go, and are subjected to torture or even killed while tending their animals. In these cases, citizens are declared the ‘culprits’ while state forces are portrayed as ‘innocent.’ Three examples from the past week are as follows:
-In Derecik, shepherds who were tortured by soldiers while grazing their animals filed a criminal complaint. After two years, the prosecutor’s office dismissed the case, citing “insufficient evidence” and claiming that the “limits of force were not exceeded.”
-In 2023, five-year-old Erdem Aşkan was killed when struck by a vehicle driven by a specialist sergeant. Despite witness testimonies and available evidence, the investigation ended in impunity. The court declared the sergeant “innocent” and the five-year-old child “primarily at fault.”
-Most recently, a 10-year-old boy riding his bicycle was assaulted by a specialist sergeant who claimed the child had “hit his wife.” The child’s wrist was broken when he was pushed. The sergeant was released under judicial control after giving his statement.
Akbaş emphasized that these are only the cases reported in the press, and that violations and impunity in the city are not limited to these examples. He explained that the legal cover applied to violations has increased such cases, adding that security policies have been prioritized over human rights. He said, “The policy of impunity stems from the failure to conduct effective investigations into crimes committed by state officials, the protection of perpetrators, and their frequent exemption from trial. The principle of the rule of law is being suspended.”
Akbaş underlined that children and civilians are directly targeted in an attempt to instill fear in collective memory, adding that systematic violence and impunity are fueled by a nationalist perspective. He continued: “The Kurdish people are viewed through a nationalist mindset. Being Kurdish alone is enough to be confronted with violence. The most pathological racist perspective codes all identities it sees as ‘other’ as enemies. This monolithic state mentality manifests its lawlessness openly through violence against Kurds.”
Bans and torture in villages
Akbaş reported that systematic violence and torture also take place in different parts of the city, stressing that the cases reflected in the press are only the tip of the iceberg. He said: “Applications made to the IHD show that torture and ill-treatment continue during village raids, detention processes, and at military stations and checkpoints. Most of the time, victims refrain from filing complaints due to the perpetrators’ uniforms and the perception of impunity. As a result, many cases do not even enter official records. This renders the scale of systematic violations invisible.”
Impunity emboldens perpetrators
Akbaş stated that the policy of impunity not only legitimizes existing cases of torture and ill-treatment, but also paves the way for enforced disappearances, unsolved murders, the use of disproportionate force against social protests, violations of children’s right to life, and increasing violence against women. He said: “The protection of perpetrators creates a ground that encourages the repetition of crimes. For this reason, impunity is not only an individual injustice but has become part of a policy operating on a societal scale.”
The judiciary must be impartial
Akbaş emphasized that both the judiciary and official institutions have serious responsibilities in the face of this situation. He said: “The judiciary is obliged to conduct impartial, swift, and effective investigations. Evidence must be collected without being tampered with, perpetrators must be immediately suspended, and they must be held accountable before the law. Official institutions also have the obligation to prevent torture. The state is bound by international conventions. This obligation must not remain on paper but must be implemented in practice. The policy of impunity must end. Every allegation of torture and ill-treatment must be investigated transparently, and perpetrators must not be protected. All attacks targeting children and civilians must be stopped, and those responsible must be brought to justice. The law must guarantee the right to life, not serve security policies.”
Source: ANF News
