Family: We want the body, we will take the execution to court

Footage had surfaced of HPG guerrilla Cuma Imen being captured alive in the Beytüşşebap district countryside in Şırnak and Imen was later executed by soldiers. Cuma Imen’s family demand their child’s body and say they will take the execution to court.

Footage on HPG guerrilla Cuma Imen being captured alive in the Melixa area of Beytüşşebap had surfaced, and Imen was later executed by soldiers. Cuma Imen’s (Koçer Devrim) family appealed to the Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği - İHD) in Batman, claiming that they haven’t been given any information since the incident on July 24 and demanded the body of their son.

Saliha Imen said she watched the footage where her son is seen alive at the hands of the soldiers and continued: “They had my son alive. Two soldiers were holding him by the arms. They were trying to make him say he repents, but he didn’t agree. They tortured him. They tortured and murdered a man they captured alive. My son was killed because he didn’t say what they wanted him to. A prisoner can’t be executed, this goes against all laws and all faiths. They should have put him in prison. They have no right to execute such atrocity.”

Father Süleyman Imen stated that his son has been in the HPG for 4.5 years. Imen stressed that a captured prisoner cannot be killed, and continued: “They could arrest him, put him in prison, he would serve whatever sentence he would be given. I will never accept what they did even if worlds collide. I will pursue. Their torture can’t fit in any law, any order, any faith, anything. We haven’t been given any information on the incident to this day. They didn’t give us the body either. I want my son’s body. At least if he has a grave, I would have a place to go and pray. My children and grandchildren came here from Izmir and Mardin, they are asking about the body. There is no body, what am I to tell my children? Did they hide it? Did they throw it away? I do not know.”

The Imen family appealed to the Batman branch of the İHD and stated that they will be pressing charges against those responsible.