INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DEMOCRATIC LAWYERS CALLS FOR HALT TO POLICE VIOLENCE IN TURKEY, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), a non-governmental organization with thousands of members throughout the world and consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council, calls on the government of Turkey to cease all police violence against protestors. IADL also calls on the Turkish government to launch an immediate investigation into police violence, and account for the dead, injured and detained.

For nearly three weeks, thousands of protestors have gathered peacefully at Occupy Gezi in Taksim Square in Istanbul. Turkish police have unleashed a brutal crackdown on these protestors, resulting in three confirmed deaths and nearly 5,000 injured. Police tactics have included excessive beatings with police batons and rifle handles, and the use of pepper spray and other chemicals, rubber bullets, and real bullets.

In order to provide a pretext for police aggression against peaceful protestors, undercover police officers, acting as agents provocateurs, threw Molotov cocktails at police, after which police launched a vicious attack on protestors.

When lawyers were issuing a press statement protesting police attacks on the protestors, some 45 lawyers were arrested and detained for several hours before being released. Three thousand lawyers gathered at the courthouse today to protest these detentions. Many lawyers who were arrested in January for representing unpopular clients remain in custody without charges.

A broad coalition of groups has courageously gathered in Taksim Square to protest neoliberal governmental policies, including economic, agricultural and environmental policies, human rights abuses, mass detentions, privatization of water resources, attacks on freedom of the press and on freedom of religion, and opposition to the reconciliation of Kurdish citizens of Turkey.

The frequent and systematic repression against political and human rights activists in Turkey, particularly lawyers and journalists, has been well documented. This year alone, representatives of the IADL witnessed evidence of the Turkish state’s enforcement of broad and oppressive laws to suppress political dissent from journalists, lawyers, trade unionists and citizens.

The IADL condemns the illegal, excessive and brutal police violence against Turkey’s peaceful protestors. We call on the Turkish government to stop all police aggression against Turkey’s protesters and to launch an immediate investigation into police violence. We also call for justice and accountability for dead, injured and detained civilians who have experienced violence at the hands of the police.
The Turkish government must immediately halt all police repression against Turkey’s protestors, including police beatings, the use of tear gas and other chemicals; release all detained protesters who were expressing their fundamental right to freedom of expression; and launch an immediate investigation into the human rights abuses committed against the Turkish people since the beginning of the protests, including an investigation into the unlawful use of tear gas and other chemicals.

Taksim Solidarity, the group that was organized before the demonstrations to stop the notorious Taksim project of the government and which has become the voice of the resistance, has declared June 13 International Day of Solidarity with the resisting people in Turkey. Taksim Solidarity invites progressive people around the world to condemn the police violence carried out by the direct order of the government and to show their solidarity. The Progressive Lawyers Association of Turkey has also issued call for international solidarity and asks lawyers organizations and human rights organizations to express their concerns to the Turkish government and state bodies. IADL calls upon people throughout the world to join us in demanding an end to the violence against Turkish protestors and accountability.