Mehmet Ertürk Shares His 23 Years of Imprisonment Under Assad Regime

Mehmet Ertürk from Kilis recounted enduring hunger, illness, and severe mistreatment during his 23 years in Syrian prisons. After his release, he underwent surgery and expressed his desire for a steady job.

Scraper SystemJune 10, 2026, 05:39 PM

Mehmet Ertürk Shares His 23 Years of Imprisonment Under Assad Regime

Mehmet Ertürk from Kilis, who gained his freedom after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, shared his experiences during 23 years in prison. Currently working as a cleaner at Kilis Ekrem Çetin Girls' Anatolian Imam Hatip High School, Ertürk said he never saw the sun during his imprisonment and that they understood it was morning only when given 2-3 olives.

WE ATE COCKROACHES, CAT MEAT OUT OF HUNGER, WE USED TO SAY 'KILL US'Erdoğan stated that he went to Syria in April 2003 and was mistaken for an intelligence agent. "I was not an intelligence agent; I was just an ordinary person. I spent years in prison," he said. Describing the harsh conditions in prison, Ertürk said, "We ate cockroaches out of hunger. We ate cat meat, we ate worms. We were extremely hungry."

They constantly insulted and cursed us. We would say, 'Don't curse, just kill us.' Ninety-nine percent of those imprisoned there never saw the sun. Everyone like me was thinking about death. We knew it was morning when we were given 2-3 olives," he added. Follow our news on Google to get the latest updates and breaking news instantly by adding us to your favorites.

Add us as a preferred source on Google WHEN I SAID I WAS SICK, THEY BEAT ME WITH A BATErdoğan recounted that instead of receiving treatment when he fell ill, he was subjected to violence. "When I said I was sick, they hit me with a baton. I dropped to 25 kilograms," he said.

OPEN THE DOOR, COME OUT, BASHAR ASSAD HAS FLEDErdoğan described the day he was freed, saying that noises from the upper floor frightened them. "There were screams from the women's ward. We thought we were going to be executed. After a while, they said, 'Open the door, come out. Bashar Assad has fled.' We thought it was a trap. We slowly came out. I was the last one left. Outside, there was an armed man with a beard.

He asked me where I was from. I said, 'I'm Turkish.' He hugged me and said, 'Turkish brothers are dear to me. President Erdoğan also holds a special place in my heart,'" he said. After his release, Ertürk said he underwent surgery due to health problems. "Doctors opened five of my arteries. They told me not to do heavy work at all," he added.

THEY THOUGHT I WAS DEAD AND PREPARED A FUNERAL MEALDuring his imprisonment, Ertürk said his relatives thought he was dead. "At one point, they thought I was dead and took me to the morgue. They revived my heart with electroshock. My relatives believed I was dead. They even prepared a funeral meal and removed me from the population registry. The state became aware of my situation when they saw me on television.

After the Assad regime ended, the necessary procedures were completed, and my ID was returned to me three days later," he said. Thanking President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ertürk said, "God saved me. Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also played a role in my rescue." I DO NOT ASK FOR MONEY FROM ANYONE, I WANT A STEADY JOBErdoğan called on the authorities, saying, "I do not expect money from anyone.

I just want a regular job. I want to bring bread home in the evening and not be dependent on anyone," he concluded.

Mehmet Ertürk Shares His 23 Years of Imprisonment Under Assad Regime