Saudi Gazette report

CAIRO — The family members of Zaki Mubarak, the Palestinian who died in Turkey’s custody, said that Zaki had a tragic end following brutal torture at the hands of the Turkish security authorities.

They refuted the claims of Turkish authorities that Zaki had committed suicide. The body was brought to Egypt on Monday after being for about 18 days and is now kept at the Palestine Hospital in Cairo.

They said the images of the body would be submitted to all forums and international courts to be a witness to the atrocities of the bloody and inhumane Turkish regime.

The family of Zaki has lodged a petition with the Egyptian Attorney General Nabil Sadiq on Wednesday requesting for another autopsy and a new medical report. The family stated that it had asked international organizations and bodies to examine the body to see the extent of the signs of torture that led to his death.

Zaki disappeared mysteriously from Turkey on April 7, and after 15 days the Turkish authorities disclosed that he was detained on alleged espionage charges. Later, Ankara said that Zaki died while in custody and called his death a suicide.

Zaki’s family said they were skeptical of the suicide claims and called for an investigation into the matter. “It is a horrible thing, the body showed signs of brutal torture and it was almost deformed. In fact, I was in shock and I did not even recognize my brother,” Dr. Zakaria Mubarak, Zaki’s brother, said after receiving the body in Cairo.

“His daughters were able to identify him through distinctive features,” he pointed out.

Zakaria said the body was almost deformed and there were signs of brutal torture and stitches throughout the body, especially his leg, chest and feet. It was revealed in the autopsy that some organs — heart and liver — were removed in an apparent attempt to hide any evidence of torture and electrocution. But it is not clear why did they extract organs such as tongue and pharynx?

Zakaria said that it was impossible for the family to perform another autopsy, as there is nothing left inside the body. “My brother’s face was severely burned, with black spots, arms with marks of burning, stitches, and all bones in legs were found broken.”

He said that the preliminary examination of the body confirms that his brother was subjected to severe torture, electric shocks, and hit with iron sticks in the leg and feet, and all areas of the body. Even his skull was broken. He confirmed that the Palestinian embassy in Cairo promised to send a doctor to examine the body and write a sealed report, in preparation for transfer of body to Gaza for burial.

“We will take the body to Gaza only after collecting all evidence to book those responsible for the murder. The body will be transferred only after obtaining a medical report about its condition to facilitate the prosecution of the Turkish regime,” he said.

He asserted that there was no possibility of his brother having committed suicide as claimed by the Turkish authorities and but instead everything showed that he was murdered following brutal torture.

“The Turkish authorities procrastinated even while handing over the body until it reached the state of decomposition and thus facilitating the concealment of their crime and the removal of the effects of torture.”

He said that there are clear signs that indicate to the brutality of the bloody regime of Erdogan. “The Turkish forensic doctor wrote the truth of what he had witnessed, and confirmed that the body suffered injuries that led to my brother’s death,” he said.