Maher Can Ada, 35, was arrested by police at a checkpoint in the city of Cezire (Cezire) in Şırnak province on the basis of a report of “intending to join the PKK.”

According to a report published by Mesopotamia, Ada, who was on his way to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, was made to lie on the ground inside an armored vehicle and beaten after being arrested. It was also alleged that officers pressed on his ankles, causing injuries.The report states that the armored vehicle's cameras were turned off during the beating and that the officers who arrested him threatened to kill him.

According to the report, after Ada was transferred to the Şirnak Island State Hospital, the doctors there did not issue her a medical report regarding the signs of the beating. However, after she was transferred to the Şirnak Provincial Security Directorate, a medical report was issued for her at the Şirnak State Hospital stating that there were signs of the beating.

Maher Can Ada, who had previously spent 13 years in prison, was released from Espiye Prison in Giresun Province on March 23, 2026. He remains in custody.

The report goes on to state that dozens of people have been arrested in the island in recent weeks based on similar reports.According to the source, although it was later determined that the reports were baseless emails, the detainees were banned from leaving the country.

In the same vein, Berfin Ay, a Kurdish journalist and editor of Azadi Valat, was also arrested on July 5 based on a report that was later declared baseless and released after three days