Mehmet Sayit Demir has been arrested in Turkey after an illegal refoulment from Greece. The Kurd, a former board member of the HDP from Amed (tr. Diyarbakir), crossed the Evros border river with his wife Feride on Monday to apply for political asylum. The couple was robbed, abused and then handed over to the Turkish military.

According to the couple’s son, Azad Demir, who lives in Germany, his parents were picked up by the police and then handed over to "gangs". Lawyer Berdan Acun confirmed this to Duvar. His clients called him and said they had been caught on the Greek side. “They said the police turned off their phones and confiscated them and they were taken to a location where gangs are staying at the border. They were mistreated along the way. Greek military police were also at the location of the gangs. There, too, they were subjected to torture and verbal abuse. Their money and anything of value were confiscated.” The gangs then handed the man over to the Turkish military, according to the Turkish lawyer.

Mehmet Sayit Demir was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison in Turkey in February 2021 for alleged membership in a terrorist organization and was banned from leaving the country. He is now in Edirne F-Type Prison. Feride Demir was released.