A couple has claimed a birthday trip to Turkey ended in torture at the hands of police who ‘punched, kicked and poured water over man’s head’ and ‘sexually assaulted’ his partner.
The 30-year-old man and his partner, 23, flew to Antalya, Turkey, to celebrate the woman’s birthday by spending two days in Kemer – a coastal resort 50 minutes south of the airport.
What followed was a terrifying trip to a ‘military base’ where officers took turns to torture the pair by violently beating the man and making his girlfriend drink ‘black liquid’.
The Foreign Office has said it is supporting the couple following the ‘incident’.
The holiday nightmare, which took place on May 11 a day after the pair arrived in the country, began after they decided to head back to their hotel after spending an evening drinking cocktails.
A couple has claimed a birthday trip to Turkey ended in torture at the hands of police who ‘punched, kicked and poured water over man’s head’ and ‘sexually assaulted’ his partner (pictured: injuries to the woman’s face after the holiday)
The 30-year-old man and his partner, 23, flew to Antalya, Turkey, to celebrate the woman’s birthday by spending two days in Kemer. What followed was a terrifying trip to a ‘military base’ where officers took turns to torture the pair by violently beating the man and making his girlfriend drink ‘black liquid’
The man said one local had tried to pull his girlfriend’s bag away from her and, after he had told him to stop and started walking back to the hotel, he had heard a police car pull up near them.
Six officers then got out of the car, according to the 30-year-old, and told the couple they had to come back to the police station.
He now believes the location was a military base, given the length of time they were in the car for.
When they arrived, the pair were placed in separate rooms and individually tortured by the group of Turkish police.
The man said: ‘About six officers ended up hitting me, punching me, slapping me on my head and face. Everyone was taking turns.
‘They took me to a back garden. I was still in handcuffs. They told me to get onto my knees.
‘I thought “this is it, I’m going to die”. The atmosphere felt like death.
‘All of them were surrounding me, smoking cigarettes and laughing.
The man described how, when he returned from being beaten by officers in an external area, he heard his girlfriend screaming and has claimed that she was being ‘sexually assaulted’
The shocking ordeal took place in Kemer (pictured) – a coastal resort 50 minutes south of the airport
‘They then hosed me down in cold water for half an hour. I was shivering.’
He described how, when he returned from the external area, he heard his girlfriend screaming and has claimed that she was being ‘sexually assaulted’.
He added: ‘They made her drink a black liquid and threatened her if she didn’t.’
The nightmare abruptly ended when a ‘good sergeant’ arrived and asked officers what was going on.
The pair were then released but soon realised their phones, money and possessions had been taken. They also suspect the woman was injected with a substance after discovering a needle-like wound on her body later on.
And the horrifying holiday was not over as the man later saw the officers at the hotel as they were preparing to check out the next day.
Shortly after at the airport, the couple were passed a phone by an officer, who they were seeking help from, and to their shock they heard one of the officers from the night before on the other end, threatening them to ‘keep quiet’.
The man said: ‘He’s come back to me and said there is someone on the phone who wants to speak to you. I was thinking “thank god, it is the British Embassy”
‘But it was the same police officers who assaulted us. They said “go back to your country. If you ever talk about our police like this again, there will be trouble.”
‘I was about to break down, thinking are they going to come here? Me and my girlfriend were running around the airport hiding.
‘As soon as we got checked in and were in the air, I said to my girlfriend “we are going home”.
‘It was the worst experience of my life.”
The couple’s flight took off from Turkey on May 12 and landed early the next morning on May 13.
Once they landed at Birmingham Airport, the couple were stopped by West Midlands Police officers who were concerned about their welfare, the man said.
‘As soon as we have got off the aeroplane, the (West Midlands) police officers have seen us,’ he said. ‘They have come and grabbed me, thinking “do we have domestic violence here?” I didn’t even say anything, my girlfriend started crying, she was saying “look at his body”.’
The man said once police officers saw his injuries, the couple were asked about what had taken place. West Midlands Police confirmed it had spoken to the couple and they were issued with advice.
Then the next day at the airport (pictured), the couple were passed a phone by an officer, who they were seeking help from, and to their shock they heard one of the officers from the night before on the other end, threatening them to ‘keep quiet’
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 several allegations they were assaulted whilst 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 the local authorities.’
