HDP Law and Human Rights Commission filed an official complaint on the torture, threats and humiliation civilians experienced at the end of special operations police in Hakkari’s Yüksekova district. In its complaint, HDP stated that special operations forces took 52 workers under custody during their operation in a private construction site to the north of Selahattin Eyyubi Airport on August 5. HDP emphasized that workers were tortured during the police raid and the footage circulated on August 8 regarding the event confirmed this finding. HDP noted that a higher-up civil servant was shouting out sentences such as ‘You will see the power of the Turkish State’ and ‘I know all of you’ at the civilians who were handcuffed from behind and forced to lie down on the ground.

'THE EFFECT OF HDP’S SUCCESS'

In its complaint, HDP emphasized that the ongoing political genocide operations were targeting its success in June 7 elections, and the public servants’ torture of workers in Yüksekova was widely received as the state’s reaction to the 94 percent of Hakkari residents who voted for HDP on June 7.

'TO TAKE REVENGE FROM KURDISH PEOPLE…'

HDP said that all armed personnel at the crime scene were responsible for the torture of workers, and the reverse handcuffing of civilians lying down on their torsos was clearly a threat that defied the honor of humanity. HDP highlighted that such treatments would undoubtedly continue if the state failed to punish perpetrators, and the torture of workers aimed to take revenge from Kurdish people due to the discriminatory statements of the perpetrator who said ‘What has the Turkish state done to you? You will all see the power of the state!’