The Diyarbakır (Amed) branch of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) lodged a complaint against a number of Turkish soldiers on Friday following the circulation of a disturbing video on social media. The video, which sparked widespread outrage, allegedly shows the soldiers torturing refugees.
The footage, shared on Wednesday, has caused a significant stir online. The time and location of the recording remain unknown, but the video was disseminated via a Telegram account named “Sensational Turan Union”. The post accompanying the video claims that the individuals being assaulted by the Turkish-speaking uniformed personnel, whose faces are obscured, are refugees who had entered Turkey but were being sent back across the border.
In response to the shocking footage, the lawyers association lodged a complaint with the Diyarbakır State Prosecutor’s Office. They are calling for the identification of the soldiers committing the assault and for legal proceedings to be initiated against them for “torture and ill-treatment”, “inciting hatred and hostility among the public”, and “abuse of authority”.
The association also called for action against law enforcement and judicial authorities who failed to report the crime after the video was circulated. The association has emphasised the urgency of the situation, demanding immediate legal action against the perpetrators.
