Netherlands: Turks accuse police of brutality, racism, in death of detainee
(İhsan Gürz)
Via Today's Zaman (
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A 22-year-old Turk was found dead in a detention cell at a Dutch police station last Sunday. His family and friends say his death was caused by police brutality, while Dutch officials claim the young man died of a heart attack.
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Arif Yakışır, head of the Rotterdam based Federation of Turkish Islamic Culture Associations, said, “In fact, [Geert] Wilders’ racist discourse has caused prejudice against foreigners and Turks. The way people look at us has changed. We know that this attitude is reflected in the police force. I have been here for 40 years, but I have never seen anybody being shackled as they were being taken into custody. I don’t know if they do it when they place suspects inside the police car, but they never do that as they take people to the vehicle.”
Gürz’s parents claimed that police put leg cuffs around his ankles before taking him away. Yakışır said his organization was going to send a letter of condemnation to the police department implicated in the incident and the Ministry of Interior.
Head of the Islamic Federation of the Netherlands, also based in Rotterdam, Mehmet Yaramış, said: “We strongly condemn this incident and we will follow up on the case. Our higher council will release a statement. It is difficult to say anything as the investigation is ongoing, but can we say that there is racism involved? Certainly, we can.”
(İhsan Gürz)