According to news reports, Güney Tuna, who studies translation at İstanbul Aydın University, was drinking alcohol in Burcu Park with his friends when police approached them and asked them to leave the park. Returning to the park nearly 10 minutes later, the police saw that the young men had not left. After quarreling, they beat Tuna and took him to the Avcılar police station. Tuna's father, Cengiz Tuna, said he took his son to a nearby hospital after leaving the police station because his son had leg pains.Tuna's father said the doctors' examinations revealed that his son had suffered leg fractures and brain injury. An investigation was launched into the incident, and an İstanbul court ordered the arrest of one of the police officers, Muhammed Bağcı, while the other eight officers were released by the court pending trial. Bağcı was sent to prison.
Speaking to reporters following Bağcı's arrest, Güney Tuna's lawyer, Efkan Bolaç, stated that the suspect was sent to court on charges of torture and maltreatment and said he could be sentenced to up to 18 years in prison.
Allegations of police brutality have been common in Turkey recently. Another recent incident was the severe beating of a minor by a police officer in the southeastern province of Hakkari in April. Seyfi Turan, 14, was violently beaten by a police officer who hit his head with the butt of a rifle as he participated in an illegal demonstration organized by the Democratic Society Party (DTP). The incident sparked outrage throughout the country.
