DİYARBAKIR - Police who battered Süleyman Arıkan while they raided his home, figured out later that they raided the wrong adress. Then they threatened Arıkan telling that they will arrest him on charges of 'aiding and abetting a terrorist organization' if he press charges. The complaint of Arıkan, who went to the police station after the incident, was not processed.

 

Süleyman Arıkan's house located in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır was raided around 5 in the morning yesterday by special operations police. The police officers who started to beat Arıkan as soon as they entered the house, started questioning him about some names. Arıkan told them that he didn't know those people and that they are at the wrong adress but the police officers kept beating him. 

 

The police officers who continued the beating for a while, figured out that they were at the wrong adress after a while. The police officers threatened Arıkan and told him not to press charges or they will arrest him, detained him on grounds of his social media activity. 

 

Arıkan who was exposed to police violence in his house for no reason and was threatened by the police, told MA about his experience.

 

Stating that the door of his house was knocked heavily and repeatedly at 5 A.M, Arkan told that he saw men with ski masks holding guns with long barrels when he opened the door. Arıkan said: "I couldn't understand who they were at first. I understood that they were police officers when they came in. They asked me about some people. I told them I didn't know them. They beat me and insulted me while they kept me pinned on the floor.

 

Stating that the more he objected to the unprovoked police violence, the more they have beaten him, Arıkan said: "I told them they were in the wrong place. They insulted me and hit me with the butt of their guns. Five of them kicked me on the ground."

 

THEY THREATENED ME ON THEIR WAY OUT

 

Arıkan stated that the police realized that they were at the wrong adress after a while.  Arıkan said: "I told them that the adress they were looking for was not mine. They didn't mind it and kept beating me. They threatened me on their way out saying that they can arrest me if I press charges."

 

Arıkan went to the Police Station a few hours after the police left his house and wanted to file a complaint. But he was told that they did not know which unit came to his house and sent him to the prosecutor's office without processing his complaint.

 

Arıkan whose house was raided without a search warrant, and whose complaint wasn't processed said: "They didn't even apologize. Those who read about such things on the internet thinks these are lies. But I have experienced it. I was beaten for no reason and without consequences. They shouldn't have acted like that even if this was the right house and I was the one they were looking for. They say this is a democratic country, but is it? I want people to know what I have been through. What happened to me today can happen to someone else anytime. 

 

IF I REMAIN SILENT, THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN

 

Stating that he will go to the prosecutor's office and file a criminal complaint even if that doesn't change anything, Arıkan said: "I will do my best. If I remain silent, this will happen again. Maybe they'll come back to my home if I press charges, but let them come. I am not afraid."

 

 

MA / Arjin Dilek Öncel – Fahretin Kılıç