Four young men in Hakkari province have accused police officers of strip-searching and beating them following a road rage incident with plainclothes officers, the Mezopotamya news agency reported.
The episode reportedly began when a taxi carrying Fatih Ağacanoğlu, Azat Kaya, Şevket Kaya and Hamdullah Kaya did not yield to a vehicle driven by plainclothes police officers. The taxi was then stopped at a police checkpoint.
According to the complainants, the officers forcibly removed them from the vehicle and began physically assaulting them at the scene. The four were then taken to a warehouse near the checkpoint, where they said they were beaten by at least 15 officers and subjected to a strip-search.
The young men later sought medical attention at Hakkari State Hospital, where they obtained reports documenting their injuries. Photos shared by the families show visible signs of abuse, with Azat Kaya suffering two fractures to his nose.
Families of the victims have condemned the alleged actions of the police, calling for the immediate suspension of those responsible.
Local authorities, including the Hakkari Provincial Gendarmerie Command, have since taken the young men into custody for questioning. Witnesses allege that officers followed the group to the hospital, where they continued to intimidate the victims and their families, hurling insults and provocations.
Human rights groups say police violence has become part of daily life in Turkey with hundreds filing complaints of torture and ill-treatment every year.
