Dr. Aram Mihemed, academic from the Raperin University who was detained in the protests that have continued for days in the Kurdistan Region, stated that he was tortured for the 6 hours he was in custody and has had 12 stitches on his ears.

Mihemed spoke to RojNews and said, “On December 21, party forces attacked us during the Rania protests and I was detained. When I went to the market by 10.00, the people had gathered there. Military forces had come to the marketplace with heavy weapons. The people were demanding that these military forces leave the grounds. They said they wouldn’t open their shops before the forces left. The people were all very insistent on this, they wanted the forces out. So I and a few others went to talk to the forces, to act as intermediaries and tell them that they have to leave.”

“We didn’t want anybody’s blood to be spilt. We did all we could to avoid any negative issue. After we went to the military forces with this intention, one of them pointed at me and told the others to take me in. That is how I was detained. They attacked me and took me away. The Asayish hurt me badly. They tortured me. This military force was brought in from elsewhere. These were Kurdish versions of the fascist Baath regime” Mihemed said.

Dr. Aram Mihemed spoke about the detention: “They held me in custody for 6 hours. I have had 12 stitches on my ears due to the torture I endured. There are problems in my wrists, I have pain. These forces sent to the district came to silence the people. I am well off, I live well. But it’s not ethical that one goes hungry while the other’s full. History has always supported courageous people. History makes sinners out of criminals. I have been shaped by this awareness, even if they would torture me thousands of times.”