An Evaluation within the Context of the Istanbul Protocol of the Medico-Legal Examinations of Turkish Detainees during the Recent State of Emergency in Turkey.

The present study evaluates the reported medical examination procedures in Turkish detention facilities of Turkish detainees who sought asylum in Germany after their detention in Turkey and the present process of medico-legal reporting, to evaluate compliance with the principles of the Istanbul Protocol and to discuss the issue in the context of the literature. Fifty-one participants were asked questions related to the examination steps specified in the Istanbul Protocol. 61% of participants were examined in an inappropriate place according to Istanbul Protocol. 42 participants (82.3%) claimed they had been mistreated through beatings, improper application of handcuffs, being forced to stand up for a long time, lying on bare concrete floors, staying in confined spaces without fresh air, and psychological torture. The answers given by the participants revealed that not all medical examinations conducted by the Turkish authorities during the detention were carried out in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol.