VAN - Kazım Timur, who joined the Justice Watch to demand a fair trial for his son at the Van Bar Association, stated that they would not end the protest until they have justice.

 

Botan Timur, who was detained in Van in 2016 and arrested on the grounds of "membership in a terrorist organization" as a result of the "anonymous witness" statement, has been imprisoned in Van Type F Prison for 6 years. Timur's trial at the Van 2nd High Criminal Court has been going on for 6 years. Timur's father Kazım Timur, who joined sit-in for his son at the Van Bar Association, demanded a fair trial for his son and demanded his release.

 

HE WAS BATTERED IN DETENTION

 

Father Timur stated that the police tortured him while Botan Timur was being taken into custody, and said, "My son was working at the market to support the house. He was detained in 2016. The police broke down the door and broke in and handcuffed my son behind his back. My son asked them to loosen the handcuffs a bit as they were too tight on his wrists. Fifteen police officers started beating my child right after that. During the assault, his skull, nose and two teeth were broken. After my son was taken into custody, he was taken to Mount Erek. Police told my son to run. He refused and told them that they will shoot him once he ran. Then they forced him into an armoured vehicle and taken him to Mount Erek and continued to beat him until they arrive.

 

HE IS STILL ON TRIAL AFTER 6 YEARS

 

Stating that Botan has been on trial for 6 years and attended 20 hearings but no decision has been made, Father Timur said, "My son has been in prison for 5 years and 8 months. The trial still continues. The only so called evidence they have against him are the anonymous witness statements. Can a person be detained for 6 years on a claim? He requests to confront the anonymous witness, but the witness is not brought to court. Then they came to the conclusion that the testimony of a anonymous witness would not be evidence, but this time they are constantly postponing the case on the grounds of lack of information.”

 

'WE WANT LAW FOR EVERYONE'

 

Stating that the purpose of participating in the Justice Watch is to end the unlawfulness in Turkey, Timur continued: “We are staging this sit-in, not only for our own children, but also for all the sick prisoners, for all those who are not released despite their sentences have expired. We are fighting for the establishment of justice and for the judiciary in the country to decide on the basis of the law. They keep my son in what is described as the 'bomber's ward'. He has been allowed one contact visit since the pandemic. In the last 3 months, contact visits are not allowed because disciplinary punishment has been given to him. Sports, the right to chat has already been suspended.”

 

'THEY DON'T FOLLOW THEIR OWN LAWS'

 

Addressing the Ministry of Justice, Timur said: "It is time for the judges to admit that they have shelved justice to punish Kurds.This is hypocracy. They are not following their own laws. We demand free trial for Kurdish political prisoners and the ill-prisoners to be released. We are staging this sit-in because the government is outlawed. We will continue our sit-in until we get justice. Because we have no other way than to protest these applications."