"At first it looked like a helicopter, then I see it is a drone"
| 05.06.2023 | At sea, close to Izmir coast | Border Violence Monitoring Network | 38.7556982, 26.5991431 | Turkey | Turkey | unknown | no | yes | yes | yes | no | 6 - 35 | 38 | Palestine, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Central Africa | beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking | Turkish Coast Guard |
The respondent is a 26 year-old man from Eritrea. He reported being part of a transit group of 38 people travelling from Turkey to Greece in May 2023. Reportedly the group were pulled back by officers operating vessels identified as belonging to the Turkish Coast Guard. The respondent identified the vessels using an image gallery supplied by BVMN. The respondent described the group as originating from multiple locations, including Palestine, Somali, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Central Africa. They were described as mostly aged between 20 and 35, as well as three children who were between approximately six and 12 years-old. There were both men and women present, including one woman who was approximately six to eight months pregnant.
According to the respondent, the group departed the Turkish coast from a location between Ayvalik and Dikili in May or June 2023. The group had been in the water for what felt like 15 minutes before identifying a drone flying above them, as described by the respondent. “I saw the red lights. At first it looked like a helicopter, then I see it is a drone.” After this, the group was reportedly intercepted by three boats belonging to the Turkish Coast Guard – as reported by the respondent. The respondent explained he had felt unsafe in the boat due to defects, and was grateful to be picked up by the TCG vessels. Approximately two to four officers were onboard each boat and had their faces visible to the respondent. “They are not armoured, they are not masked, you can see them really, really easily.”
Following the apprehension, the respondent explained that some of the officers subjected him and other men in the group to physical beatings, including kicking them. He reported thinking that the officers who were inflicting the kicks were noticeably younger than the other officers and possibly in training.
The officers subsequently returned the group to the Turkish coast. It is unclear whether the group were brought back in their own boat or transferred to the boat occupied by the officers. Upon arriving on land, the group were brought during the night to what was described as by the respondent as a prison, location is unknown. He added that he slept outside the detention facility and was provided neither a bed nor blanket.