space to talk and express the harm they have suffered. What is valued particularly highly is the public acknowledgment of the damage suffered. Being able to speak publicly before a court of law helps to restore a sense of dignity and can be an essential step in the recovery process. For many torture victims, monetary compensation is an important element that motivates them to participate in the legal process since it is the manifestation of an acknowledgment that a wrong was done. Furthermore, as Veli Saçilik’s case illustrates, for many torture survivors their physical and psychological health and their economic situation will have significantly worsened since the event. Therefore, there is often an expectation that the court will assist the victim by providing monetary compensation for the harm suffered. In search of justice at the European Court of Human Rights: The story of Veli from Turkey Thanks to psychosocial support and assistance in understanding his legal rights, Veli Saçilik’s case progressed into a complex back-and-forth case eventually reaching the European Court of Human Rights. Veli always hoped for a positive outcome in his case – after all, with his right arm missing, the physical scars were obvious. It was July 2000 when Veli’s story began. One of 60 prisoners in Burdur Prison, southwest Turkey, Veli tried to defend himself against an onslaught of 415 Turkish state forces who, responding to calls from the Prison Governor, fired tear gas and destroyed the prison with bulldozers to prevent what was portrayed as an internal uprising. As Veli tried to defend himself, a bulldozer crushed the wall behind him. “I looked through the hole, and I saw a bulldozer outside, breaking the wall. I shouted to him to stop the attack, to stop this treatment of prisoners. And then my right arm was just ripped off,” says Veli. Veli was then held by the security forces where he was beaten and forced to remain without food and water. Hours after the incident, he was transferred to hospital where he received treatment, but his arm was missing and could not be saved. Veli accessed the services provided by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey 20