NEWS CENTER - Making a statement on the rape of a child in Gercüş and declaring it a 'perception operation', the police, governorship and chief public prosecutor's office targeted journalists who exposed the rape.

 

The report titled: "Gercüş rape investigation: 27 state officials including expert sergeants,police and village guards accused of rape of a child" exposed by Jinnews, caused public outcry. Making a statement after the incident is exposed, Security General Directorate, Batman Governorship and Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's office targeted those who exposed the news instead of persuing the perpetrators.

 

After the incident was reported in the press and caused a public outrage, the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has released a statement and rejected the allegations.

 

"As part of the investigation, one of the suspects M.A. was arrested on November 13, 2020. While a confidentiality order and a publication/ broadcast ban was imposed as per the decision of the Gercüş Penal Judgeship of Peace dated November 18, 2020, the posts and allegations reported by some media organizations do not reflect the truth. No public official has been identified as a suspect in the investigation."

 

27 detained over social media posts about the child abuse 

 

In a statement released by the Directorate General of Security today (December 7), it has been announced that a legal action has been taken against 27 people on the grounds that they shared social media messages regarding the incident where a 15-year-old girl was sexually abused in Turkey's Kurdish-majority Batman province, allegedly by men including police officers, specialist sergeants and village guards.

 

The statement of the Directorate General of Security has briefly read, "As part of the ongoing virtual patrol activities, 27 people who spread disinformation about an incident of sexual harassment ... on social media in an utter perception operation backed by the separatist organization have been identified and a legal procedure has been launched against them."

 

Statement of family labour and  social services

 

While there is still a confidentiality order on the investigation file, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services has got involved in the judicial process. It has also been announced that the child has been placed in a Child Protection First Response Center in another province.

 

The Ministry has made the following statement about the issue:

 

"Following the judicial proceedings undertaken by our Batman Provincial Directorate of Family, Labor and Social Services at the date of the incident, our child has been placed in our Child Protection First Response Center in a different province. Concerning the child who is still staying in the institution, the related order for care and health measures has been requested and the necessary professional works have been started.

 

"The Law Department of the Provincial Directorate has got involved in the judicial process which is being conducted with a confidentiality order."