News Center-  On May 18, 2024, youth organizations held a protest in front of the Süreyya Opera House in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district to commemorate İbrahim Kaypakkaya, Haki Karer, Ferhat Kurtay, Eşref Anyık, Mahmut Zengin and Necmi Öner, who set their bodies on fire to protest torture in Diyarbakir No. 5 Prison on May 18, 1982. Police attacked the protesters and detained four protesters. The protesters were sent to prison on charges of “opposing the Law on Demonstrations and Marches No. 2911” and “resisting public officers”.

Senem Eriş, member of the Peoples' Democracy and Equality Party (DEM Party) Young Women’s Coordination was transferred to the Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison. According to the received reports, Senem Eriş was subjected to “strip search” at the prison and then taken to a ward for the ordinary prisoners.

‘Stop this practice immediately’

“Our Young Women's Coordination and our party assembly member Senem Eriş was forcibly detained and sent to prison,” DEM Party Women’s Council said in a post on X. “She was strip searched at the entrance of the prison. We do not accept the practice of strip search, which has become a method of torture. Stop this practice immediately. Senem Eriş should be released immediately.”

“Our Young Women's Coordination member Senem Eriş was detained while commemorating the martyrs of May,” DEM Party Istanbul Youth Assembly said in a statement on X. “She was subjected to strip search twice at the prison. She has been held in a ward of ordinary prisoners. The male state and law enforcement forces will be held accountable for torturing women!”