My detention and release

<div class="field_article_img"><div><b>Image:</b></div></div><div class="field_article_author"><div><b>Written By:</b></div>Salim </div><p><strong>This is a testimony from an individual CAGE assisted whilst he was detained in Turkey, he was held arbitrarily for over 4 weeks. CAGE worked with him closely and liaised on his behalf with his family, NGOs and lawyers in order to secure his release.</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode">CC </a>image courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/decade_null/1397903264">Aapo Haapanen</a> on Flickr.</em></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div><div><div>My name is not Salim but it is important for me that I use this name to protect my identity. I&#39;ve recently been released from a Turkish prison after I was accused &nbsp;of violating the Turkish border. &nbsp;Like any country the Turks have to protect their border, especially when there&rsquo;s a war going on next door. I was one of the few that happened to be arrested and held for a time.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>You see, I am from the west and I love my religion of Islam, it was for this reason I could not call my embassy for help as it would have made my case significantly worse. &nbsp;I was at the border to meet a friend who was suffering in Syria. To be fair, the Turkish authorities offered me an opportunity to contact my embassy, but I&#39;m pretty sure they know that it was best I take my chances with them rather than with the authorities in my country. &nbsp;Visions of being on a no-fly list, stress positions, and other images danced in my mind. &nbsp;My real crime was helping the Muslims.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>As the days turned to weeks I started to wonder what would happen next. &nbsp;Each time the gate would open I didn&#39;t know if I should celebrate or run and hide. &nbsp;I wondered who would come and help me. &nbsp;I didn&#39;t know anyone who was in a position of influence and even if I did they would probably be afraid to help me as they would probably lose their &quot;squeaky clean&quot; image by being associated with someone like me. &nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Sometime later I remembered I met one of the brothers at CAGE in London. &nbsp;I wasn&#39;t sure what I thought they could do but I had no one to call on except Allah and then after Him, those at CAGE. &nbsp;They immediately understood my situation and that alone made me feel better. &nbsp;No one likes to show a wound to a doctor and the doctor screams out &quot;Oh! &nbsp;I don&#39;t see how you&#39;re still alive mate!&quot; &nbsp;The patient needs to feel the doctor understands. &nbsp;In my case I felt that CAGE understood. &nbsp;They immediately began making phone calls and even dispatching a lawyer to research my case. &nbsp;I was shocked to hear that I was not officially charged with a crime! &nbsp;If not for CAGE I would never have known that. &nbsp;This information helped me to shape my next move as I was led to believe that they were holding me for nearly 2 months for some criminal offence that they never made clear!</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Turkish government have helped the Syrians on so many levels most people will never know. &nbsp;This is why I was shocked at my detention; though I came to later realise that the Turks were just doing their job and protecting their border. &nbsp;Alhamdulillaah (praise be to God) CAGE helped me out of that prison and helped me to get back to living a normal life. &nbsp;For that I am grateful to Allah and then after Allah to CAGE.</div></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><strong>If you know anyone in your community who is being or has been subjected to harrassment, abuse and arbitrary detention, encourage them to come forward and speak with us at <a href="http://contact@cageuk.org">contact@cageuk.org</a> or call us on 0207 377 6700.&nbsp;</strong></div></div>