The father of the youth shot by the police in Turkey’s southeastern city of Batman (Elih) says his son was handcuffed after he was shot and brought to the hospital in a van instead of an ambulance.
21-year-old Suat Şahin was shot on 28 September by the police who claimed that he objected to a criminal record check and body search.
His father, Yılmaz Şahin, said that he was informed about the incident three hours after his son was taken into surgery, and furthermore, there was no record of entry in the hospital where he was operated on. A kidney of Suat’s was removed due to the wound caused by a gunshot and internal bleeding.
Speaking to Mesopotamia News Agency, Yılmaz Şahin said Suat was targeted and shot at a range of a few metres according to witnesses, although it was indicated in the crime scene report that he was hit by a bullet ricocheting off a wall.
The father added that his son wasn’t actually in custody although he was unofficially accused of resisting the police.
“The boy was defenceless. He didn’t even have a stone in his hand,” the father said. “They called him to come towards them, and shot him because he refused.”
“They’re just telling lies,” he added, continuing: “I also suspect now, because I’ve noticed marks on his arms and face when I made a video call, that he was beaten in the van.”
Yılmaz Şahin also indicated that the hospital administration refused to provide them with a medical report on the condition of their son, whom they haven’t been permitted to visit yet.
“We asked for a medical report at the hospital. They said they can’t give it without the prosecutor’s consent. We haven’t been able to visit him yet. We just had a video conversation. And his eyes were closed as we spoke. He asked twice if it was me.”
