A British couple claims a birthday trip to Turkey ended in torture by police, who allegedly punched, kicked and doused the man’s head with water and sexually assaulted his partner.
The 30-year-old man and his partner, 23, from the West Midlands, flew to Antalya to celebrate the woman’s birthday by spending two days in Kemer – a coastal town 50 minutes south of the airport.
The holidaymakers claim they were actually kidnapped by several police officers and taken to what they describe as a ‘military base’ where guards tortured them by violently beating the man and forcing his girlfriend to drink an unidentifiable ‘black liquid’ .
“About six officers ended up punching me, punching me and punching me in the head and face. Everyone took turns,” said the male victim, who wished to remain anonymous.
‘They took me to a backyard. I was still in handcuffs. They told me to get on my knees.
‘I thought: this is it, I’m going to die’. The atmosphere felt like death. They then rinsed me in cold water for half an hour. I was shivering,” he declared.
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A couple claim a birthday trip to Turkey ended in torture by police who ‘hit, kicked and poured water on the man’s head’ and ‘sexually assaulted’ his partner (pictured: injuries to woman’s face after holiday)
The woman had bruises on her body and face and what she said appeared to be a needle wound
The 30-year-old man and his partner, 23, from the West Midlands, flew to Antalya to celebrate the woman’s birthday by spending two days in Kemer (pictured)
The nightmare began on May 11 – a day after their arrival in Turkey – when the couple decided to retreat to their hotel after spending the afternoon at a cocktail bar.
The Briton, who asked to remain anonymous, said a local tried to take his girlfriend’s bag from her.
He shouted at the would-be robber and chased him away, allowing the couple to continue walking to their hotel.
But minutes later a police car pulled up next to them.
According to the 30-year-old holidaymaker, six officers got out of the car and told the couple to come back to the police station.
The tourists now believe the location was some sort of military base, given the destination’s distance from their original location.
When they arrived, they say they were immediately split up, placed in separate rooms and tortured by the group of Turkish police officers.
The man told how he was brutally beaten by the guards, rinsed with cold water with his hands cuffed behind his back, and then shivered in the evening air.
The shocked tourist then described how he heard his girlfriend screaming in another room.
She later claimed that she was sexually assaulted by the guards.
He added: ‘They made her drink a black liquid and threatened her if she didn’t.’
The woman claims she was sexually assaulted by guards and forced to drink an unidentifiable liquid. This image shows bruises on her face
The shocking ordeal took place in Kemer (pictured), a coastal town 50 minutes south of the airport
The nightmare came to an abrupt end when a man described by tourists as a “good sergeant” arrived and asked officers what was happening.
The couple was immediately released but stripped of all their belongings, including phones and money.
The woman also suspects she was injected with an unknown substance after later discovering what appeared to be a needle-like wound on her body.
The British tourists were reeling from their harrowing ordeal and desperate to leave. They decided to check out of their hotel the next day and catch a flight back to Britain.
But they faced even more fear and intimidation.
The man claimed that when they went to the checkout, some officers were waiting for them in the lobby.
Their tormentors remained silent and just watched the couple as they packed their bags and left the hotel.
But upon arriving at the airport, the couple said they were stopped by another officer, who gave them a cell phone with a live call.
To their horror, when they answered the call, they heard one of the kidnappers on the other end of the line, allegedly threatening them and telling them to “keep quiet.”
Explaining how the disturbing incident unfolded, the British tourist said: ‘(The airport officer) came back to me and said there is someone on the phone who wants to speak to you. I thought, “Thank God, it’s the British Embassy.”
“But it was the same police officers who attacked us. They said, “Go back to your country. If you ever talk about our police again, there will be trouble.”
‘I was about to collapse, thinking: Are they coming here? Me and my girlfriend were running around the airport and hiding.
‘As soon as we were checked in and in the air, I said to my girlfriend “we’re going home”.
‘It was the worst experience of my life.’
Upon their arrival at Antalya airport, the couple said they were stopped by another officer who gave them a mobile phone with a live call. On the other end of the line were their captors, threatening them and telling them to ‘keep quiet’
The couple’s flight departed from Turkey late on May 12 and landed early the next morning on May 13.
Once they landed at Birmingham Airport, the confused couple were stopped by West Midlands police officers who were concerned for their welfare, the man said.
“As soon as we got off the plane the (West Midlands) police officers saw us,” he said.
‘They came and grabbed me, thinking: ‘Are we dealing with domestic violence here?’ I didn’t even say anything, my girlfriend started crying, she said “look at his body”.’
The man said that when police officers saw his injuries, the couple was asked what happened.
West Midlands Police confirmed it had spoken to the couple and they had been given advice.
The man added: “We just want justice.”
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police added: ‘Officers spoke to two people at Birmingham Airport on May 13 who made various allegations that they had been assaulted abroad. They were supported by officers and provided with advice.’
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: ‘We are supporting a British couple following an incident in Turkey and are in contact with local authorities.’
