JINHA

MUĞLA - Since it emerged that Turkish police sexually tortured a Kurdish woman, her family reports that racists have been harassing them. Police have refused to respond to the complaint.

Recently, with war and police raids targeting Kurdish activists, Kurdish towns and neighborhoods across Turkey have been declaring that they will govern themselves and do not want police in their neighborhood.

On August 24, the Dağlıoğlu neighborhood People's Assembly in the city of Adana, Turkey declared self-government. As police attacked the assembly, they arrested 25-year-old woman Figen Şahin. Her lawyers reported that police sexually tortured her. A group of police beat and kicked Figen in her genital and breast region; took off her pants and attacked her with dogs; and took photographs of her genitals that they threatened to share on social media.

Local newspapers have now claimed that Figen is a former Kurdish guerrilla who came to the city to "start trouble." Figen's older sister Nurgül Turğal said that the newspaper has targeted her sister. Now, racist attacks have begun on the family.

Yesterday, a neighbor attacked Figen's family's home. The neighbor shouted racist insults at the family. "Your sister's a terrorist," shouted the neighbor. "We need to wipe you away, the more the better." The neighbor then headed to his apartment to get a gun.

Nurgül said that the family has filed a police report about the neighbor, who they have known for three years. Police reported that they were unable to find the man.

(ck/gc/cm)