Clashes erupted following the declaration of a curfew on December 17 in the area between Çayköy village in Mardin’s Derik district and the Konur village in Mazıdağı district.

Eight villagers were taken into custody by Turkish special operations teams operating in the area. After seven days in custody, the detained civilians, Sercan Dölek, Vedat Belgin, Halil Belgin, Nezir Demir, Bedrettin Özge, Aydın Özdorak, Sinan Danış and Ahmet Yapıcı, were referred from the District Gendarmerie Command to Mardin Courthouse. The detainees were released on condition of judicial control after giving their statements.

It came out today that the eight villagers were subject to torture and ill treatment while in custody and were later denied medical report proving that they had been battered. While lawyers will file a criminal complaint, the detained villagers went to Amed to apply to the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) to denounce torture while in state forces’ custody.

BODIES KEPT IN THE MORGUE

On the other hand, bodies of four people, who reportedly died during the clash on December 17, have been taken to Mardin Public Hospital’s morgue. The body of one of these, Servet Demir, was received by his family and buried in Batman. The other three bodies have not been identified yet and are still held in the hospital morgue.