Representative of Ombudsman ‘Did Not Notice’ Signs of Violence on Arrested Activist’s Body

Traces of violence still remain on the body of the activist of the NIDA movement Elghiz Gahraman contained in the Kurdakhani jail. Turan was told the lawyer Fariz Namazly, who visited him on 26 August.

The lawyer said the activist was twice visited by representatives of the Ombudsman together with the doctor during the week of his imprisonment. At the first meeting Gahraman had an hour’s talk about the torture he was subjected to in the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (MDCOC) of MIA.

However, in the press statement the Ombudsman office said there were no signs of violence on Gahraman’s body. This was denied by the lawyer Nemat Karimli.

After that, on August 25 the representative of the Ombudsman's office again visited Gahraman.

‘According to Elghiz, the Ombudsman's representative at the second meeting said his body had no traces of violence, so he could not understand what torture was spoken about. Elghiz said the traces of violence had already disappeared, but he had really been tortured, abused and subjected to inhumane treatment. To investigate this does not necessarily require preservation of the traces of violence,’ said the lawyer.

According to the lawyer, there are still red traces on Gahraman’s stomach. During the first visit of the Ombudsman’s representative Elghiz showed these red traces to the doctor. To this the doctor replied that it was a result of poor sanitation. However, there was also redness on the leg.

In addition, Gahraman complained of pains in the head as a result of truncheon blows, but the doctor did not even bother to inspect the head.

According to Gahraman, they beat him so badly that he lost consciousness.

They did not let Gahraman meet his relatives, but twice a week he can phone them.

The defense is preparing a petition to change the measure of restraint to house arrest.

Gahraman was detained on August 12 and on the same day he was arrested for 4 months under Article 234.4.3 (drug trafficking on a large scale), for which he faces up to 12 years in prison.

At the same time Gahraman was contained in MDCOC of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a week and was not allowed a lawyer.

The NIDA Movement has declared the political persecution of Gahraman. -06D-