VAN - HDP Party Council member Hazal Karabey, who was released after being detained for participating in the action against the racist massacre against the Kurdish family, said: ‘’We will expose the racist policies of the government in every field.’’

 

Recently, racist attacks against Kurds have been increasing day by day, along with the rhetoric of the government. Actions were held in many places against the massacres in Izmir, Antalya, Ankara and finally in Konya, where reactions were shown from different segments. One of these actions was held in Van.

 

Three people arrested for protesting racist attack

 

In Van, on 31 July, upon the call of the Democracy Platform, thousands of people took to the streets to protest the racist massacre of the Kurdish family in Konya, and 10 people were detained as a result of the police attack. Three of the 10 people who were referred to the courthouse after the proceedings on July 6 and then brought to the Magistrates Court on Duty were arrested for the crime of ‘’resistance to the police’’. Seven people were released after judicial control.

 

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Party Council member Hazal Karabey, who was among those released, evaluated the rights violations and racist attacks they were subjected to while in custody.

 

‘Our friends were subjected to police violence’

 

Noting that they see the massacre as a result of racist attacks as a social event, Hazal stated that she participated in the action to protest the massacre in a humane and conscientious manner. Stating that there was a sudden attack by the police and violence was committed during the protest, Hazal said: “During the march, three of our young friends were heavily beaten and detained unlawfully. One of our provincial executive was subjected to severe torture. This is also reflected in the images. The next day, six people were detained for the same event. Then one more person was taken into custody.’’

 

‘Who is the Labor and Democracy Platform?’

 

Hazal said that they were taken to the prosecutor's office after a long period of detention, prosecutor asked to them, ‘’Who is the Labor and Democracy Platform? Why did you go there? What slogans did you chant?’’ She expressed her answer to the questions as follows: ‘’We expressed that we protest the racist attack with demonstrations and marches, which is our most democratic right, and that we do not accept this as a humanitarian and conscience. We stated that we participated in order to prevent racist attacks from happening.”

 

‘We were kept waiting on the pavement for hours’

 

Stating that they were taken to the hospital for a health check while they were in detention, Hazal pointed out that the doctor asked them in a loud voice like ‘’Do you have a problem?’’ in the presence of the police, and that even though her friends were battered, even the doctor's health check did not develop as it should. Hazal said: ‘’We were kept waiting for hours by standing on the pavement in the hospital we went to for a health check. Our friends were subjected to verbal insults during detention.’’

 

‘We will not allow racist attacks’

 

Pointing out that racist attacks are also a part of the policy of targeting their parties, Hazal said: ‘’Our party is on target because it has developed a policy around all identities, languages, cultures and common values of peoples. As a result of the rhetoric of the government, racist attacks are made on our people. We are announcing once again that we will never allow these policies to pass, and that we will expose this in every field.’’