Syrian woman Ş.N. and her husband M.N. were subjected to verbal sexual harassment by a man in Bahçelievler district of Istanbul on October 29. A quarrel broke out between M.N. and the harassing man. After the incident was reported to Bahçelievler Police Station, statements of the parties were taken. The Syrian couple was then sent to the Removal Center for “posing a threat to public order or public security or public health”. M.N. was sent to Arnavutköy Removal Center and Ş.N. was sent to Çatalca Removal Center. M.N. was then transferred to the Removal Center in Riha (Urfa). 

 

 

 

The Syrian couple's lawyer, Mehmet Behzat Yılıcak, went to Çatalca Removal Center on October 31. However, he was not allowed to see the lawyer on the grounds that it was “lunch hour”. While waiting in front of the Removal Center, lawyer Yılıcak witnessed the protests of migrant women against rights violations.  

 

VIOLATIONS AT THE REMOVAL CENTERS

 

Explaining what happened, Av. Yılıcak pointed out that the migrant women protested the denial of bed and food. “The women inside banged on the windows and said, 'We are not murderers. Help us. No to violence against women'. The riot police in front of the Removal Center immediately went inside. We also wanted to go inside but we were told 'you cannot meet'. We recorded this situation with our colleagues and I reported what happened to the Istanbul Bar Association and associations,” he said.  

 

Noting that he was not allowed to meet with his client Ş.N. due to the protests, Yılıcak stated that he went to the Removal Center again on November 1. Yılıcak stated the following about the violations his client experienced: “My client was not given a bed, she was sleeping on the bare floor. On the day of the protest, the staff told him that he would not be given lunch and dinner. He was subjected to insults, psychological violence and humiliating attitudes of the staff. Forced to sleep on the bare floor, the foreigners protested when they learned that their food needs would not be met. He said that after these protests they were given floor beds and normal food was served.”

 

DEPORTATION DECISION

 

Yılıcak stated that the file he requested for his client after the meeting was not given to him on the grounds that it was “not ready” and that he learned that there was a deportation order against his client. Yılıcak noted that their client was transferred to different provinces without the file being prepared and without waiting for the appeal procedure to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace, “Maybe the judgeship will decide to release him after the appeal. We face many obstacles in the places they are transferred to. We went to Arnavutköy Removal Center twice. We could not examine the file of my male client there because it was not ready. However, we learned that she was transferred to Urfa Removal Center on November 3.” 

 

Lastly, Yılıcak emphasized the need to investigate the violations at Çatalca Removal Center where his client was held. Yılıcak emphasized that footage from the day of the protests should be shared. Yılıcak said that the Istanbul Bar Association and legal organizations did not react to this issue. 

 

MA / Ömer İbrahimoğlu