Only six policemen to be heard related to the torture of Hacı Birlik

Şırnak police directorate has only now submitted the names of the six policemen regarding the torture of Lokman Hacı Birlik whose dead body was dragged behind a police vehicle after his execution by police forces in Şırnak last month.

A progress has been made in the probe opened by Şırnak Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the torture of Lokman Hacı Birlik whose dead body was dragged behind a police vehicle after his execution by police forces in Şırnak last month.

Şırnak police directorate has only now submitted the names of the six policemen who were on duty at the scene in Dicle neighborhood on the day of the case of Lokman Birlik who was shot by 28 bullets on October 2nd.

The names of the six have been submitted only after lawyers for Birlik family started preparations to file a criminal complaint against the police executives for not giving the names to the prosecutor so far.

While the six policemen notified by the police directorate will give their testimonies at the prosecutor's office next week, lawyers for Birlik have reacted to the prosecutor for asking the names of only those who were inside the armored vehicle that dragged Birlik's body through streets.

On October 6, photos emerged of a group of special operation police posing near Birlik's body outside Şehit Mehmet İşler police station on Orman Street after it was dragged up to there from Özel Street in Dicle neighborhood. Some 10 armored police vehicles were seen in the photos, the one that dragged Birlik's body being in the forefront.

When Birlik's body was first brought to the police station, the policemen waiting there took photos of his body tied behind the police vehicle which was seen in a scary video footage two days ago. The policemen inside uttered heavy swearwords as they dragged him on the streets in great joy and proud.

The policemen then got off the armored vehicle, upon which all the others gathered near Birlik's body that still remained tied to the vehicle for some more time. Some policemen were seen to be wearing ski masks, while many others had their faces open.

As many as 30 policemen here posed to each other near Birlik's dragged body that remain tied to the vehicle for five more minutes, after which his body was untied and put into the same vehicle that dragged him, before he was finally taken to hospital.

Büşra Demir, a lawyer for Birlik family, said the police and prosecutor was after a deliberate plan by not exposing the names of all the other policemen involved in the incident.

Demir said police directorate has submitted these six names only after their repeated applications and demands for the finalization of the process within a short time.

The lawyer said; “There were dozens of policemen at the scene but the names of only six among them were informed, and these will give a statement only for “insulting one's existence”. We demand the exposure and hearing of all the others who have been engaged in various crimes including “intentional murder”, “misconduct” and “avoidance of denouncement of crime”.

The lawyer stressed that all the policemen and executives who were at the scene and did not intervene the torture, are guilty. Demir said they are not hopeful about a fair trial, adding that they will apply to international courts in the event of getting no result from the local court.