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Fatoş Pınar Türker Describes Severe Rights Violations During Detention and Imprisonment
Fatoş Pınar Türker stated that she was detained on the morning of March 19, experienced severe psychological pressure at Vatan Police Station, and was subjected to a strip search. She has been in prison for 15 months and demands her release and a fair evaluation of the allegations against her.
On the morning of March 19, between 5:30 and 6:00, my door was knocked and I was detained. Until that day, I was living a normal life, but suddenly I found myself at Vatan Police Station. The moment I entered, I thought I would not be able to leave. I experienced very severe psychological pressure. It was one of the hardest moments of my life, even the thought of death crossed my mind.
Despite this, although I had previously submitted petitions to the prosecutor's office three times to give a statement, I was not called. We lost track of time in the detention cell. Since it was in the basement, we did not see daylight. There were no windows or glass. We could not understand how the days passed. The environment was extremely dirty. For people like me who had never encountered such conditions before, this process was very exhausting.
I saw that I was not alone there; my colleagues and many unknown people were also detained in the same way. A female officer took me to a small room. First, I was asked to take off my clothes. Then I was told to lower my tracksuit and underwear. I was asked to squat, turn around, and expose my private areas. At that moment, we did not fully understand what we were experiencing.
I felt that this practice aimed to break people's dignity and pride. I am not ashamed of this; those who carry out such practices should be ashamed. I have been in prison for 15 months. As a single mother, my parents took full responsibility for my children during this period. They are raising my children. My family has borne a heavy burden because of my detention.
My mother participated in various events to raise awareness about the injustices she believed I experienced and tried to make our voices heard. I was arrested on charges of accepting bribes. However, the indictment later prepared did not include any bribery accusations against me. I was not arrested for any organizational crime either. Nevertheless, I was deprived of my freedom.
I believe the statements of the secret witness that led to my arrest do not reflect the truth. When the indictment was revealed, it was clear that these accusations had no basis. I have worked all my life, built my professional career with effort, and have never been part of a criminal organization. Yet, I have been in prison for 15 months.
Considering what I experienced in detention, the strip search, the long imprisonment, and the suffering of my family, I believe this constitutes a severe violation of my rights. Therefore, I request my release and a fair evaluation of the allegations against me. When I was arrested, my eldest daughter was in her final year of high school and had been accepted to a prestigious university abroad.
We had planned to travel to London together for a visit. However, at passport control, I was told there was a record against me, and I was prevented from leaving the country. Then I tried to reach the prosecutor's office and give a statement but received no response. A few days later, I was detained. Since that day, I have been deprived not only of my freedom but also of many important moments in my children's lives.
I am in prison at a time when I should be with my daughters. Throughout my life, I have been an executive audited by public institutions, international inspections, and regulatory bodies. Being suddenly detained and arrested on serious charges while having no negative findings against me was extremely shocking. For this reason, I said I feel ashamed not for myself but for my country.
Because I find it hard to accept that my professional background and reputation, built over years of effort, are being questioned without concrete evidence. One of the hardest issues for me is the long detention period before the trial is completed. During the 15 months I spent in prison, I was away from my job, family, children, and normal life.
However, detention should not be a punishment but an exceptional measure. Considering the nature of the charges, the evidence in the file, and my living conditions, there is no risk of fleeing or tampering with evidence. Nevertheless, I find it unfair that I continue to be deprived of my freedom.
The most difficult aspect of this process was not just losing my freedom but facing practices that damage human dignity. The conditions in detention, the strip search, and the long imprisonment left deep marks on me. Yet, despite all this, I try to maintain my faith in law and justice.
My request is not for special treatment; it is for the legal rules that apply to everyone to be applied to me as well, and for the allegations against me to be evaluated based on concrete evidence. I am not the only one in prison; my family has also had to bear the burden of this process. My children are trying to grow up without their mother, and my elderly parents are both taking care of them and fighting for me.
The detention decision affects not only the accused but also everyone around them with serious consequences. Therefore, I believe the suffering I have experienced is not only personal but also extends to my family. I reject all the charges in the case. I have never been part of any organization nor engaged in activities that harm the public.
My career, assets, and lifestyle built over a long professional life demonstrate this. Therefore, I believe I will be acquitted at the end of the trial. Until then, I believe I deserve to be tried without detention and request my release. You can read my full defense here.
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