MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed- The practice of strip search has been practiced in prisons and during the detention periods. “There isn’t strip search in Turkey,” claimed Özlem Zengin, MP of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) but several days ago, Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activist Seyhan Başak was detained in Batman province and she was reportedly beaten and strip-searched in the prison. TJA activist Leyla Ayaz talked about the strip search and she said that this unlawful practice has been mostly carried out against women.

“People are forcibly strip-searched”

“The torture of strip search has become the main topic of the conversation for a year and this practice continues. Those who resist the strip search are beaten and their clothes are torn. People are forcibly strip-searched. We call this practice enemy law. This tyrannical practice has been carried out particularly against the Kurdish women and the Kurdish women’s movement. Recently, the prisoners have been forcibly strip-searched when they go to the infirmary and return to the infirmary. When they refuse the strip search, they are beaten, tortured. This practice is an inhumane act. We consider the strip search as an attack on the body and soul of the people,” said Leyla Ayaz while talking about the increase of the practice.

“Women have been subjected to strip search more”

Leyla Ayaz pointed out that the practice of strip search is also sexual abuse and that women have been subjected to strip search more, “When you refuse it (strip search), you don’t allow them; they touch your body and tear your clothes. They try to discipline you. The strip search is an unacceptable practice; it is a practice against human dignity. We don’t accept any behavior against human dignity and we will never accept. Currently, the only segment that opposes the state policies is the Kurdish political movement and women. For this reason, they attack women. We will always continue to expose all forms of violence and rights violations. We will continue to stand against these with our organized strength.”

“They want to discredit us by carrying out such practices,” Leyla Ayaz said, adding, “This is not our shame. This is a shame for those who carry out such practices. We call on all people who have been subjected to strip search to file a criminal complaint. We have a state that is incapable of applying its own law.”