Afghan migrants say Turkish police beat them with iron rods before killing them with cold feet

Şafak Bozkurt, chairman of the Migration and Asylum Commission of the Human Rights Center of the Van Baar Association, said that they are aware of such pressures and cases of hypothermia in the region.

According to Turkish-based activist Zakira Hikmat, Afghan refugees in 2010 She said increased border surveillance in Turkey forced them to take more dangerous routes.

Mahmut Kesen, another refugee rights activist based in Van, said the mountainous nature meant that “most Afghans entering Turkey illegally” had to cross in difficult and dangerous weather conditions.

He has worked on a number of cases involving Afghan and other refugees alleging “mistreatment, extortion, denial of asylum procedures and forced returns” along the Iran-Turkey border.

Turkey’s foreign ministry told the BBC that such accusations were baseless and “unfairly cast a shadow over Turkey’s successful efforts to combat irregular migration”.

“Due to its geopolitical location on migration routes and hosting a large migrant and migrant population, Turkey strives to implement a human-centered and sustainable migration management system that is consistent with civilizational values, balancing security and freedom.

“Thanks to Turkey’s effective measures and successful fight against irregular migration, irregular migration to the EU has been completely stopped.”

Iranian officials have also been approached for comment.