Irem Akbulut, a transgender woman living in Ankara’s Çankaya district, stated that police officers assaulted her on the night of March 7 on Libya Street in an attempt to take her phone. Akbulut said that an argument that began during an ID check escalated, and that the officers used physical force against her to prevent her from photographing the police car’s license plate. Akbulut stated that two officers twisted her arm to take her phone, dragged her to the ground, and slammed her head against the police vehicle. The officers then took Akbulut to the police station and confiscated her phone for approximately four hours, preventing her from communicating. A forensic medical report noted that Akbulut’s body showed signs of bruising. The prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into the incident and issued a court order placing Akbulut under judicial supervision on charges of “resisting the performance of duty.”
March 14, 2026
bianet