Turkish man dies while in Tokyo police custody

A 48-year-old Turkish man died in police custody in Tokyo on July 2, according to media reports on Tuesday quoting the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The man was arrested June 25 after becoming involved in a traffic accident involving property damage on an expressway in the city of Hachioji in Tokyo. Police detained him on suspicion of violating immigration laws by failing to carry required identification documents, including a residence card.

The man said he was experiencing abdominal pain on June 29 while in custody, according to police. Police took him to a hospital on July 1, where he was diagnosed with appendicitis, according to broadcaster TBS. A doctor determined that he did not need to be admitted, and he was returned to the detention facility.

The man was found lying face-up and unresponsive in a restroom at the detention facility of Takao Police Station early on July 2, according to the MPD. He was taken to a hospital but pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m. the same day.

An autopsy concluded that he died from illness, though police have not publicly disclosed the specific cause.

The MPD has informed the Turkish Embassy of the circumstances surrounding the arrest and the man’s death.

Police are examining the conditions of his detention and the response to his medical condition, including whether there were any problems with how he was treated while in custody.