According to KurdPress, Kurdish actor Murat Çiçek, who lived in Japan as a worker, was arrested after a car accident on June 25 and transferred to Takao Police Station in Hachioji City. After his condition worsened, he was transferred from the detention center to the hospital and died suspiciously on July 2. His family, however, learned of his death five days later, on July 8.His body was also transferred to Turkey on July 17 and buried in his hometown of Hakkari.

Speaking to Mesopotamia News Agency about the details of the case, Vaqas Celak, Secretary General of the Japanese Kurdish Cultural Association, said Murat Çiçek had sent him a message on the day of the incident and announced that he was fine.

He added: “The police issued a 10-day detention order because Murat did not have his passport or ID card with him when he was arrested. When I went to meet him, the officers said that they were consulting with the immigration department and that they might introduce him to the prosecutor’s office on the sixth of the month and then hand him over to the immigration department.”

Celak continued: “One of our Japanese friends had met him on July 1 and said that Murat was generally fine, he just seemed a little sad, but they were joking around. Apparently, after this meeting, he felt unwell.A doctor from a clinic contracted with the police station only examined him with a manual examination and said that he might be constipated and that if he developed a fever, they would transfer him to a well-equipped hospital.”

This case resembles a murder

Referring to the contradictions in the case, Çallag said: “The police claimed in their statements that Murat Çiçek was constantly screaming in the cell, that he was constantly going to the bathroom, and that since he did not have a fever when his temperature was measured, they did not transfer him to the hospital as recommended by the doctor.”

He added: “However, in a report published by the Tokyo newspaper, it is stated that Murat’s body temperature was between 34 and 35 degrees; while this is not the normal temperature of the human body and this measurement was also made with non-contact and unreliable thermometers.”

He continued: “The police who were present there said that Murat’s voice stopped at around 5:30 in the morning.Officers found him sitting motionless on the toilet. They claim they performed CPR, but when they found him, his pulse and heart were gone.”

Referring to the forensic report, Chelag said: “The hospital report stated the cause of death at 7:45 a.m. as inflammation due to a perforated duodenum and “natural death,” but he was taken to the hospital two to three hours later. He was screaming and calling for help, but no action was taken to save him. There is clearly negligence in this case, and it seems that the hospital’s misdiagnosis and the police’s negligence led to his death. This case more than anything else resembles a case of negligent homicide, and it is likely that one of the parties will be held responsible for this incident.»

Racism against immigrants is on the rise in Japan

The Secretary General of the Japanese Kurdish Cultural Association, referring to the increasing anti-immigrant atmosphere in the country, said: “The death of Murat Çiçek was widely reflected in the media, political circles and even the Japanese parliament. Some representatives also mentioned the issue of racial discrimination and the police’s use of racial profiling methods, and the contradictions in the police’s statements were also raised in the media.”

He added: “Lawyers are following up on the case seriously, and similar cases of deaths in detention centers due to negligence are also going to be investigated, because such cases have a history in Japan.”

Celaq also said: “In recent years, with the instigation of some extremist circles, a wave of racist propaganda has formed against the Kurdish community in Japan.Some Turkish-affiliated groups and accounts on social media, including supporters of the Zafar Party and similar movements, have also played a role in creating this atmosphere. Racism and xenophobia are on the rise in Japan, and some politicians are also exploiting this atmosphere to gain votes. For this reason, I believe that the atmosphere created on social media and these campaigns has also had an impact on the way Murad is treated. It seems that they thought that because he is a foreigner, there is no need to take his situation seriously.”

Continuation of legal proceedings

Çallag concluded by emphasizing that the Japanese Kurdish community will not abandon this case, saying: “Murad had a large family in Japan. The Kurdish community, the media, and many people supported him. He had also played the main role in several films."In his memory, we will once again screen the film in which he starred and organize other programs to keep his memory alive. We are also in contact with the Japanese government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will make every effort to fully clarify this case. His family will also continue their legal pursuits until the truth is clarified."