Pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Şırnak provincial chairman Hurşit Külter, who went missing on May 27, appeared in Iraq’s Kirkuk province on Friday, ending 133 days of uncertainty over his whereabouts.
Delivering a press statement there, Külter said he was kept in the basement of a building for 13 days following his detention and was subjected to torture. But, he added, he managed to escape and make his way to Kirkuk in two months.
Witnesses claimed Külter was detained by police as the Week of Missing People was being observed between May 17 and 31.
Human rights organizations have exerted efforts to pursue the search for Külter. Dozens of petitions were filed with the Ministry of Interior by a group of attorneys and civil rights groups; however, only one of the petitions was responded by the Ministry of Interior, which said the issue did not fall into its purview.
In his statement Külter apologized to everyone who made efforts to end the uncertainty over his whereabouts and for appearing in public so belatedly to make such a statement.
“But it should be known that this is the first time I have had the opportunity to make this kind of statement because the conditions I was in made it impossible for me to do so [until now] due to concerns for my safety,” said Külter.