Birmingham Turks ‘tortured’ in Turkey ‘abandoned’ as authorities ‘provide no support’

A West Midlands couple who claimed they were “beaten and tortured” by Turkish police say they had “no support” from the authorities. The two, a 30-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, claim they were attacked while on holiday in the city of Kemer on Saturday, May 11 last month.

The man was allegedly punched and kicked and had water poured over his head for “30 minutes” while his partner was “assaulted” and made to drink a mysterious black liquid. The terrifying ordeal allegedly took place at a military base where the couple were taken by police, the man said.

He said the incident followed a “confrontation” with a local man while returning to the hotel earlier in the day. A “beggar” tried to snatch his partner’s bag before the man told him to leave, but a vehicle carrying six police officers allegedly pulled up not long after and took the couple away.

READ MORE: Birmingham couple ‘beaten and tortured’ by Turkish police after ‘argument with beggar’

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The man said the terror at the military base only ended when a “good sergeant” arrived and let them go, but their phones and money were confiscated. The man also claimed that the same officers showed up at their hotel the next day as the couple prepared to leave for the airport, and one of the officers then threatened them on the phone after they arrived at the airport.

Once they arrived home at Birmingham Airport, the man said officers from West Midlands Police (WMP) spoke to the couple after they became concerned for their welfare. A WMP spokesman said: “Officers spoke to two people at Birmingham Airport on May 13 who made several allegations of being assaulted abroad. They were supported by officers and given advice.”

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office also confirmed it was supporting the couple earlier this month. An FCDO spokesman said: “We are supporting a British couple following an incident in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.”

However, the woman claimed she has had no support since the incident, with the couple still seeking justice. She told BirminghamLive: “I haven’t heard anything but it all feels like they want this to be pushed under the carpet. We were not given any support and my partner and I struggled emotionally very badly.”

Asked if there had been an update on the case last week, an FCDO spokesman said he had “nothing more to add”.