State hospital hides injuries inflicted by Turkish police on child

Duvar English

A state hospital in the Kurdish majority southeastern province of Batman hid severe injuries inflicted on a child by Turkish police and watchmen, Mesopotamia News Agency reported on May 17. 

Footage showed the 15-year-old child, identified only as V.S., being battered by a group of officers in a park in Batman's Cudi neighborhood reportedly for violating the curfew imposed as part of COVID-19 measures. 

V.S. was then taken to Batman police headquarters and a complaint was filed against him for objecting to officers. As part of the legal process, the child was taken to Batman state hospital to obtain a health report. 

Strikingly, the hospital handed the child a report that didn't list his injuries. 

Upon being released, V.S. was taken to a private hospital by his family, who obtained an actual health report that showed injuries all over his body. 

V.S.'s father Salih Solmaz said that his son went out to buy bread, but saw a brawl in the park and got involved in it. 

"He is only 15 years old, he is a child. Police officers and watchmen then approach the fight and used tear gas. We went outside after hearing noises and saw that our son was the only one left in the park. The officers were beating him," Solmaz said. 

"I tried to stop them and told them that he is my son. I said, 'Fine him if he committed a crime,' but they insulted me," he added. 

Slamming the state hospital for hiding police brutality, Solmaz asked, "There is clear footage, how can you claim that he wasn't beaten?" 

The family will sue those responsible for the child's injuries.