Justice Minister Bozdağ: No torture, no ill treatment in prisons

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said that all allegations of ill-treatment and torture of Gülenist Terror Group-linked (FETÖ) members, the perpetrators of last year's July 15 failed coup attempt, were false, adding that the entire judicial process has continued with full transparency in all cases.

Minister Bozdağ met with members of the Turkish and foreign press at an event organized by the General Directorate of Press and Information in Ankara on Wednesday. Speaking at the event, Bozdağ said that there has not been even a single case of ill-treatment or torture in the cases of those who have been arrested or detained since the coup attempt. He said, "There has been full transparency during the whole detainment and arrest process. Health reports are required when someone is taken into custody and a new report is required when that person is detained after being placed in custody. So, the entire process is documented and entirely transparent.'' Minister Bozdağ said. ''Thus, I can confidently assure you that there is no ill-treatment or incidents of torture in prisons and all of these claims are totally slanderous.'' he added.

Minister Bozdağ also stated that Turkey remains in full cooperation with international organizations in this field and that their door is open to the international organizations that would like to visit Turkish prisons. ''They also visited our prisons in recent months and the conclusion of the visit did not result in any concrete evidence being found regarding torture," he added.

Commenting on the ongoing trials surrounding FETÖ members, Minister Bozdağ underlined that the rule of law is applied to all suspects without discrimination. ''The judgement process is undergone in full transparency and all information is open to the public. Everybody can obtain detailed information about the ongoing trials via our online system. So, all the judgments in Turkey are carried out in accordance with the principles of the rule of law,'' he said.

'FETÖ a global threat'

Minister Bozdağ also stressed that FETÖ members are not a threat only for Turkey. ''The coup plotters of FETÖ members are not a threat only for Turkey. There are also a threat to those countries which host them and allow them to operate,'' he said. ''However, we will continue our efforts to warn our friends about FETÖ threats,'' he added. Minister Bozdağ also emphasized that Turkey had not received enough support from its friends and allies in the post-coup period even though the Turkish nation protected its democracy in a heroic manner during the coup attempt. ''I'm one of those who experienced the bomb attack of FETÖ members first-hand. I was addressing parliament when the putschists bombed the Turkish Parliament. I would not be alive today if their bomb had fallen 15 to 20 meters closer to me. Now, one year later, the putschists are trying to defend themselves and international media outlets tend to believe their fake defense pleas. However, the same outlets are having trouble convincing me,'' Bozdağ concluded.