JINHA

MÊRDÎN – A case has been opened against Nurşen Demir, who had been detained and then imprisoned for not leaving her home during the curfews imposed in Nusaybin, and life imprisonment is sought for her. Nurşen expressed that she hadn’t left her home because she had worked for years in order to build her home. “According to the state, not leaving my home means disrupting the unity and integrity of the state,” said Nurşen.

While the cities and towns of Kurdistan were razed to the ground by the attacks of state forces, dozens of people were killed. Hundreds of people, who didn’t want to leave their homes and neighborhoods, had to live in the shadow of the intense bombardment and bullets for months. Mother of five, Nurşen Demir (50) is one of these people. She didn’t leave her home in the Fırat Neighborhood of Mardin’s Nusaybin district and tried to live under bombardment for months. Nurşen, who has been held in Mardin E Type Prison, told what she faced and torture she endured in the prison. Nurşen didn’t leave her home during curfews declared in Nusaybin. She expressed that she wouldn’t leave her land and country. Nurşen said she didn’t want to leave her home because she hadn’t wanted to leave her home, which she had built with great effort for years, and her neighborhood where she had memories. She said, “According to the state, not leaving my home means disrupting the unity and integrity of the state.”

Nurşen told the days under bombardment with the words follows; “The clashes and bombardment were getting worse day by day. Electricity and water were cut off. Our homes were demolished and we had to take refuge in a basement. We tried to survive with little food for days. We tried so hard to make our voice heard. Finally we found a phone and called 155 (Emergency service), the office of the governor and district governorship and a corridor was opened for us upon our insistence and we got out from there. Nurşen said that after leaving the neighborhood, special forces announced that “Welcome to the compassionate arms of the state"; however after turning off the cameras, they told them "Welcome to hell" and tortured them.

Nurşen said, “First, they took us up the stairs one by one and threw us down the stairs one by one. 10 people gathered for each of us and began to beat us. Everyone was drenched in blood. They broke my foot, arm and nose. Severe torture with insults weren’t ended. They threw a sack over my head and continued to torture me for one more day.”

Nurşen said they were subjected to torture in the school and special forces threw a sack over their heads and took them to the sport hall. Nurşen said, “Special forces members beat and insulted us in the same time.”

Nurşen said they were subjected to torture in the Mardin Police Station for six-seven days and they were forced to sign false statement prepared by police. Nurşen said, “The only thing I did was not leaving my home and land. Well, who will call those who demolished my home to account? Now, each of my children stays in different places. My children, who have always been successful in school, don’t even go to school now because they are depressed. Their father is unemployed. On behalf of all people, who don’t leave their land and as a mother, I call on the people to be aware towards this issue.”