In October 2015, Turkish security forces dragged the dead body of Hacı Lokman Birlik behind an armored police vehicle through the streets of Şırnak. Three years later justice is still not done. The perpetrators are still on duty.
"I do not let my soldiers and policemen carry cadavers." This was the comment of a Turkish policeman who circulated a picture of the body of Hacı Lokman Birlik in October 2015 on Twitter. The picture showed an armored police vehicle pulling the body of the 24-year-old actor over the paving stones in the Northern Kurdistan city of Şırnak by a plastic cable tied around his neck.
Eyewitnesses reported that Birlik, brother-in-law of former HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) MP Leyla Birlik, first got wounded after being shot by police on a foot, and was later executed by police who rained bullets on his body from their vehicle as he tried to stop his loss of blood. Police later went near him, kept firing at him, tied his body behind an armored vehicle and started dragging his body through streets.
The savage torture perpetrated on Birlik's body was first exposed by a photo circulated on social media, causing huge public indignation. Several days later, as reactions still continued, a video footage was circulated again on social media, taken from inside the police vehicle that dragged his body in the streets of Şırnak. The footage taken by police themselves inside the vehicle was abound with heavy swearwords insulting his body, his family, his folk and his existence. “There is no such a thing”, say the policemen in great happiness and bravery as they shoot the video.
Photos taken after his post-mortem examination also revealed what sort of atrocity he had been subjected to by Turkish forces that continue killing people for the 'security of the people'. Turkish police shot 25 bullets at close range although he had already lost his life at the scene.
Lawyers of the Birlik family filed charges for deliberate murder, insulting the memory of the dead and malpractice. Six perpetrators involved in the grave incident were identified, but only facing the accusation of “insulting the memory of the dead”. Five separate prosecutors have been assigned for the case over the past three years. After the court holidays, the investigation file will be handed over to the new public prosecutor, who will take up his duties in September.
The then Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu claimed after the murder of Birlik that the six policemen in question had been suspended from duty. However, it came out that these police officers are still on duty.
Nobody expects justice in the near future, but the hope remains, according to the lawyers.
