No justice over Greek officers torturing, murdering Turkish citizen

In a bizarre twist of narratives, Greece‘s judicial authorities ruled that Turkish citizen Baris Buyuksu, who was tortured on the Greek island of Kos after illegally crossing, forced back to Türkiye in October 2022 and died as a result of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Greek authorities, never set foot in Greece.

This is all despite the fact that Buyuksu has photos of himself on the island as well as ample testimonies of refugees who were alongside him.

The 29-year-old Buyuksu crossed from Türkiye into Greece in October 2022, and after enduring two days of torture, he was placed on a boat along with 15 Palestinian refugees and dropped off in Turkish waters near the island of Kos. The Turkish Coast Guard rescued the group. Shortly after landing, Buyuksu died from the torture injuries.

An investigation was opened, but the Greek judiciary has now ruled that Buyuksu never set foot on the island. The family of Buyuksu argued that the investigation into Greek officers who tortured Buyuksu for two days was conducted merely as a show, and the family’s lawyer stated that they would not give up their pursuit of justice and requested assistance from the Turkish state.

Greece’s sham judicial investigation, denial

After the Buyuksu family’s request, an investigation was opened, with legal groups in both countries collaborating to identify the perpetrators. Three years after the incident, Greek authorities handed over the investigation files, which revealed significant inconsistencies.

For instance, Greek authorities denied having evidence that Buyuksu was in Greece on Oct. 21-22, 2022, despite a photograph showing him at the Kos harbor with an “I Love Kos” sign visible.

The Greek Coast Guard officers involved in the operation were questioned, but their statements were contradictory. One officer claimed not to remember the day, despite later describing a boat rescue operation on Oct. 22, 2022. Witness statements from Palestinian refugees who were with Buyuksu provided further details, describing being tortured by masked men with guns and sticks after being detained.

The refugees recounted how they were stripped, beaten, and held in a room where they were further tortured. Buyuksu, reportedly half-conscious, was also tortured with electric shocks. They were later abandoned at sea, where they were rescued by Greek Coast Guard vessels and taken to a raft. The autopsy report confirmed that Buyuksu had been tortured.

Human rights groups, including the Contemporary Lawyers Association (CHD) and Legal Centre Lesvos, have criticized the ineffective investigation, pointing to delays and a lack of transparencies.

They have called for a thorough investigation to hold those responsible for Buyuksu’s death accountable, vowing to continue the fight for justice.