14/09/2020

TURKEY: HDP Deputy for Batman Province publishes video of Turkish police beating women and young men in Mardin

MARDIN, Turkey — Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) Deputy for Turkey’s Batman Province Mehmet Ali Aslan published a video to social media depicting the assault of female demonstrators in Mardin region protesting the repeated arrests and harassment of their children and other family members by Turkish police officers. Aslan indicated that these scenes were recorded on 12 September 2020.

The video showed the police brutally beating and arresting several of the women and young men protesting in the village of Ortaköy.

Aslan pointed out the similarity of the 12 September 2020 video with the events of 12 September 1980, recalling the Kenan Evren-led coup that took place at that time, which was characterized by the suppression of freedoms and violation of human rights.