10 more of the detainees were referred to the Urfa Courthouse. Abdullah Buga, Abdurrahman Ciftci, Ahmet Yildirim, Ali Zencirkiran, Kenan Yildirim, Mehmet Kacar, Mehmet Hayri Ciftci, Mustafa Ciftci, Muslum Yildirim and Sinan Yildirim gave their statements to the prosecutor on allegations of “aiding and abetting a terrorist organization” and were referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a demand for their “parole”.

TALKING ABOUT THE TORTURE: FALANGA, TYING UP, KICKING

All of the detainees who gave their depositions to the judge rejected the “parole” demand and demanded their release. Mehmet Hayri Ciftci and Mustafa Ciftci spoke about how they were tortured in custody and demanded to be sent to the Forensic Science Institution.

Hayri Ciftci said: “My statement in the police station is correct. I was tortured in the Gendarmerie outpost. I was stepped on. I have bruises from battery. They hit me with nightsticks on my finger and feet. They poured water on me and put me in a falanga. These occurred in the gendarmerie outpost. In the police headquarter, they blindfolded me and took me two stories up. There they shocked me in my genitals. They tied up my hands and feet and they jumped on me. I will press charges against the relevant people. I demand a rejection of the parole demand.”

The court included the following in the sworn statement: “The court has seen that the suspect has an approximately 10 cm wide rash on his right shoulder.”

Hayri Ciftci’s Lawyer Sevda Celik Ozbingol said there is no concrete evidence in the case and that the demand for parole should be rejected, and the forensic report should be obtained.

Mustafa Ciftci gave his deposition to the court: “My testimony in the police station is correct. I was tortured in custody. They blindfolded me, I don’t know if it’s electricity but I have pain below my waist. The soldiers slapped and kicked me when I was in the gendarmerie outpost. I have pain in my ears. I will press charges. I demand the rejection of the demand for parole.”

Ciftci’s lawyer Sevda Celik Ozbingol said her client has been mistreated and that a forensic report should be obtained and he should be immediately released after the demand for parole is rejected.

THE VERDICT

The court announced the verdict and issued parole for Kenan, Muslum, Sinan and Ahmet Yildirim and Mehmet Hayri Ciftci where they will sign in once a week. Abdullah Buga, Abdurrahman Ciftci, Mehmet Kacar, Mustafa Ciftci and Ali Zencirkiran were issued foreign travel bans but not parole.

The court rejected Mehmet Hayri Ciftci and Mustafa Ciftci’s demand for forensic institute reports, citing that the report would be part of evidence gathering and the authority for evidence gathering is with the prosecutor during the investigation phase.

1 PERSON ARRESTED

10 of the Halfeti detainees had been referred to the court yesterday and 9 of them had been released. Abdullah Ciftci, however, had been arrested on allegations of “terrorist propaganda” due to his social media posts.

The detainees continue to be referred to court in groups of 10.

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