Hurriyet: that ‘French agent’ explained about what has happened in Turkey

French student Elisa Couvert (24), who was taken into custody in Istanbul during the Gezi Park Resistance, spoke to the Hurriyet. She stated that she has to return back to finish her research project and added that she brought a lawsuit against “unjust” decision of deportation.

elisa-couvert1How was your first contact with Turkey?
I studied at Galatasaray University two years ago as a part of the Erasmus exchange program. My boyfriend is from Istanbul. I got a residence permit in August for one year. I graduated from political science department and I am had been writing a thesis on “Kurds who learn Kurdish later” in Paris’s VIII University. I was a volunteer intern in Human Rights’ Association. When the Gezi Park process started, it was a peaceful protest. And during these demonstrations, I visited the Park and talked with many different people. It was also an opportunity for the political science.

How have you been arrested?
I was living in a place near Taksim Square. In the morning of June 11th, I heard sudden violent explosions and run out of the street.  I was worryied about my friends who was staying in Gezi Park. People took refuge in buildings to protect from the tear gas and police brutality. I took refuge in an apartment in panic. It was terrific. There were injured people. Police was using severe tear gas. Then, the police rang the bell. As they pushed the door, we started to pass the nearby building. Afterwards, the police entered there, too. They started to shoot through the window. Broken glasses started to fall on us. I think there were about 30 of us.

What happened then?
They took us to a bus. Our wrists have become bruised due to the handcuffs. Afterwards, I learned that the building a was refruged in was the building of a political party SDP (Socialist Democracy Party). They brought us then to the Caglayan Court. While some arrested people felt faint; polices were still attacking people inside the bus. When one of the polices gave water to us; some other said “Let them die”.

Have you ever felt regret?
My house was at 20 meters distance. I was angry at myself for not return to my home. I am not able to understand how come they can treat to a legal party. They even criminalised those people who entered there due to obligation. We stayed in Caglayan for four days. We stayed there until the end of the legal detention period.

Have you been subject of discrimination due to being a foreigner?
No. I was first person who has been questioned. Starting from 2nd day, consulate officers visited me.  They asked questions about my relations with SDP. They accused me being an agent of French government. They asked me about the other demonstrations I have participated previously, my research projects on political science, the people I have been contacted in and my friends. I was able to express myself in Turkish.

How was your deportation process?
I spent ten days in Foreigners’ Department, ironically named as the ‘Guesthouse’. They cancelled my residence permit that was supposed to be valid until October. There was no written justification. They said that they have the right to deport a person even if s/he is innocent. Saturday morning, the police who check my case said that “I have bad news. You are deported”. They sentenced me with one year of deportation and everything happened so fast then.

French origin, her name is Elisa. She is 24 years old. She graduated from political sciences. After she has taken into custody for 4 days and has been taken to Foreigners’ Department for ten days; she has been deported two days ago. While she was talking about what’s happened on those days, she said that “I am talking to a reporter for the first time” and added that; “Gezi protesters were exposed to violence and the situation of the immigrants in the prisons was much worse than I experienced.”

Are you planning to sue the government?
We will go for an appeal. Although, the prosecution released me, I have been deported lawlessly. I have to submit my thesis in October. I was going to the driving school which I had to leave undone. We presented three cases in Ankara,  Istanbul Administrative Court and in the Supreme Court.

Arzu Çakır Morin
28 Haziran 2013
Haberin kaynağı için tıklayınız; hurriyet.com.tr

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