Azad Polat works for the Party of Democratic Regions (Democracy Bölgeler Partisi, DBP) and was arrested on March 18 in Şırnak. He was detained for four days at Cizre Police Department, during which time he was subjected to electric shocks, among other things. He was photographed naked and threatened with posting the photos online.

Polat reported his arrest to the Mezopotamya news agency and said that he was taken into custody on a roadside check and taken to the police department in handcuffs. He was not told the reason for the arrest. The police asked for his phone's password, which he refused to give. A police officer then hit him in the face. He was taken to the first floor, where several police officers beat him and stood on him. The beating continued for about 25 minutes.

Another group of police officers then took him to a room, where he was again asked to give them the password. When he refused, a police officer gave the order: "Take him away and rape him." Polat was taken to the basement and stripped. His shirt was pulled over his head so that he could not see anything. His head was hit against the wall and he was beaten again. “I couldn't see the torturers. Then they gave me electric shocks on my back. I was photographed naked and threatened that the pictures would be published on the internet. The torture lasted two hours in total. The only reason was my refusal to give them my password.”

The next day, he was rushed to the hospital for a routine health check with bruises on his face and body. The doctor said he couldn't see any signs of torture. He was not given a certificate on the second or third day either. On the fourth day, another doctor was on duty and certified injuries to the foot, back, nose and eyes. He was then taken to court. At the public prosecutor's hearing, he reported the torture he had suffered. “Although I told the prosecutor for two hours that I had been tortured and that I was even given a certificate, he decides for my release on bail and the prohibition to go abroad. In court I repeated what I had experienced."

After his release, Azad Polat went to the human rights organization IHD in Amed with a request for support.