Lawyer Yunus Özayar filed a criminal complaint on Tuesday alleging that police officers physically assaulted him at a police station in İstanbul after he requested access to a client’s case file, the ANKA news agency reported.
The alleged assault took place on Saturday in Esenyurt, where Özayar met with a foreign client facing possible deportation following a traffic accident case.
After asking to review the case file, Özayar was allegedly told there was no file or prosecutorial order and that his client would be transferred to a deportation center on Monday. He said police also refused his request to speak with the prosecutor.
The lawyer was then allegedly subjected to physical force by four police officers including one in plain clothes and removed from the station.
Özayar was later taken to a hospital, treated for injuries and discharged with a medical report.
The İstanbul Bar Association condemned the incident, saying violence against lawyers threatens the right to defense and a fair trial. It called for an immediate, impartial investigation and the suspension of the officers involved.
The incident comes amid ongoing concerns about police brutality and a climate of impunity in Turkey. According to the Global Torture Index 2025, released by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Turkey is in the second-highest risk tier among 26 countries assessed, citing widespread allegations of torture, unchecked police violence and legal and institutional barriers that block accountability.
