⭕️ Testimony of Turkish aid worker Ali Rıza Topkan who was detained by Egyptian security forces because he wanted to deliver aid to #Gaza. #Egypt #Turkey

I went to Cairo with my family to help Gaza. To provide aid to the wounded there, especially those in need. Our intention was to provide financial and food support, to chat with them, to be with them and to boost their morale.

But nothing went as planned…

Immediately after completing the passport procedures, the Egyptian police detained me. Before I knew what was happening, they asked for my phone. At that moment, it dawned on me, if I can’t tell anyone, I’ll be lost here.

I quickly sent a message to a translator friend of mine living in Egypt: “I have been arrested, please notify my family.”

A few seconds after I sent the message, my phone was taken away and I never got it back.

I later learned that that brother of ours had delivered my message to Eyyüp Yaşar from Türkiye.

And in this way, news about my arrest spread in Türkiye. But my brother paid a heavy price for this…

They raided his house at 12 o’clock at night. They put a sack over his head and took him away in front of his wife and children. They tortured him in the dungeon and electrocuted him.

There is currently serious damage to his kneecaps and feet. His only crime was helping me!

I was taken in for questioning.

No food, no water, no sleep for 48 hours.
Constantly on your feet, threatening, insulting, pressuring.

Their questions were always the same:
— Why are you helping Gaza?
— How many times have you been abroad?
— Why Gaza?

And the threat:
“We will kill you here. No one will find your bodies.”

There was no news from my children.
I was taken to a closed, windowless area in the dungeon.

Then I heard the crying of my children…
I realised they were close.

I begged a woman cleaning through the doorway: “Please bring food to my children. They are hungry. Please.”

I gave him some money. He accepted. He came at midnight and took me to my children…

I will never forget the sight I saw:

My wife and children in a dark room of 4 square meters: Zeynep, Maryam, Abu Bakr, Aqsa. They fell asleep, exhausted from hunger.

I kissed and hugged my children…
I had brought cake. I gave it to them. They ate it like they were attacking each other.

They have been open for days…

They were living on the ground, in filth.
No hygiene. No cleaning. They would eat again whatever was spilled on the floor. Abdominal pain and diarrhea had begun…

The Egyptian police insulted my wife in the most serious way. I leave them to Allah.

There we were given only one piece of bread a day. But there were pieces of stone in it.
I didn’t eat a single bite for 4 days. Only water. I couldn’t eat when my children were hungry.

I prayed to my Lord: “Oh Allah, don’t make my children pay the price for this.

On the one hand I was reading the Quran. On the other hand I was praying. But now I had acceptance inside me:

We won’t be able to get out of here. My children will slowly get sick and we will silently perish here.

But Allah made a way…

Thanks to our brothers who are our voice in Türkiye.

A strong public opinion has formed.
Our state has taken action.

We later learned that we were released upon the instructions of our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hakan Fidan.

We owe this freedom first to Allah, then to our brothers, and then to our state.

There I realised what a blessing it was for my children to even see my family.

And let me also say this:

The only reason I was there was Gaza.
If all this is a crime, I will continue to commit this crime. Because helping Gaza is not a crime, it is an honour.

Today, there are still brothers in Egypt who are in my place, rotting in the same dungeons. We left, but the place was still full.

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