AKP admits 'something happened' when asked about throwing of Kurdish men from army helicopter

Duvar English

A ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy has admitted that "something happened" when asked about the incident of throwing of two Kurdish men from a military helicopter in the eastern province of Van.

AKP deputy Cengiz Aydoğdu said that the gendarmerie and the governor's office launched internal investigations into the incident.

"Yes, something happened and the prosecutor's office launched a probe," Aydoğdu said in a speech in parliament on Oct. 7.

Two Kurdish men, Osman Şiban and Servet Turgut, were thrown from an army helicopter in Van's Çatak district after being detained in an operation targeting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) last month.

Their whereabouts were unknown for two days and their families were finally able to locate them at a hospital.

Hospital reports said that the two men were thrown from an army helicopter. While Şiban was discharged from the hospital and still suffers from memory loss as a result of intense torture, Turgut died last week after spending 20 days in intensive care.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has been asking authorities to reveal what happened, but so far the only response it got was from the Van Governor's Office, which said that Turgut "fell in a rocky area."

On Oct. 7, parliament debated a parliamentary question submitted by HDP deputy Murat Sarısaç on the issue.

Sarısaç slammed the fact that Mesopotamia News Agency reporters, who revealed the incident, were detained in early morning raids on Oct. 7, saying that the move stems from guilt.

"You are guilty and afraid of the truth. You are the enemy of Kurds," Sarısaç said amid protests from AKP seats.

In response, Aydoğdu said that happened Van "unfolded as a part of the killing of three soldiers."

"Torture is a crime against humanity. Turkey is our common love and the Kurds are our citizens and brothers," Aydoğdu said.

"You are a part of this parliament and this state. The whole courthouse is working and an investigation is ongoing. If there is torture, we stand against it as much as you are, but we are the state and can't act in line with rumors," the AKP deputy added, while accusing the Mesopotamia News Agency of "manipulation."

"Zero tolerance to torture was brought to life under our government," he said.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Bülent Tezcan, meanwhile, said his party will support the parliamentary motion submitted by the HDP to investigate the incident.