Amed (Diyarbakır)- After the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reported that 14-year-old Y.D. was kidnapped and beaten by police officers on March 21 while returning to his home in the Lice district of Amed with one of his friends, the Lice Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that an investigation has been launched against the police officers.

“A judicial investigation has been launched by the Lice Chief Public Prosecutor's Office about the incident allegedly took place in the Lice district and reported on social media,” said the statement released by the prosecutor’s office.

Amed Bar Association has filed a criminal complaint

 The kidnap and torture against the child sparks anger on social media. The Amed Bar Association has announced in a written statement that they have filed a criminal complaint against the police officers.

“Our association has filed a criminal complaint against the police officers, who had allegedly kidnapped and tortured 14-year-old Y.D. on March 21, 2023. We will follow the legal process,” the statement said.

 HDP Children’s Commission: We condemn the incident

Nuray Türkmen and Hüseyin Kaçmaz, Co-Spokespersons of the Children's Commission of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), have released a written statement on the racist treatment and attacks on children during the 2023 Newroz celebrations.

“Racist attacks against children during the Newroz celebrations were not individual attacks,” said the statement, pointing out that children were shown guilty and subjected to violence due to their clothes’ colors and for lighting the Newroz fire in their neighborhoods. Mentioning the police torture against Y.D., the children’s commission demanded an investigation be launched against those who had kidnapped and tortured Y.D.

The statement also said, “We do not accept the torture against children by those who are responsible for providing the security, we condemn the incident. We will follow up the investigation process to the end.”

 What happened?

A 14-year-old child namely Y.D. was kidnapped by several police officers in the Lice district of Amed while returning home with a 10-year-old friend on March 21, 2023. The police officers took Y.D. to a place near a village. The child was forced to say ‘I am a Turk’ and to swear at the Kurds by the police officers. After they tied the child’s hands and feet, they threw him into a swamp. A villager found the child after hearing his voice. Then, the child was taken to a hospital. The child is currently being treated at the hospital and is reportedly at risk of losing his right eye.