May 1 İstanbul Report From İHD

Click here to read the article in Turkish / Haberin Türkçesi için buraya tıklayın.

Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Office has published its report on the rights violations on May 1, 2016 in İstanbul.

İHD İstanbul Office Director Zeynep Ceren Boztoprak has noted that although the Governorship had allowed the celebrations in Bakırköy, a series of rights violations had been experienced.

She has added that the death of Nail Mavuş who had lost his life over being run over by a riot control vehicle (TOMA), constituted the biggest right violation. She has expressed that besides these also other rights violations have been experienced such as the freedom to travel, freedom to assembly and the right to security.

231 custodies

Some headlines from the May 1 report read out by İHD rapporteur  Mesut Çakan are;

* Police have intervened some groups wishing to conduct activities at Taksim Square while the celebrations were taking place in Bakırköy Public Bazaar.

* All entries to and exits from Taksim Square have been blocked and public transportation hindered.

*As of the morning hours on May 1, 2016, police teams have intervened every group which wanted to gather.

* A group including Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ has been exposed to gas bombs and police intervention as they wanted to enter the celebrations area.                    

* In the police interventions in Taksim and Bakırköy, 231 persons have been taken into custody.

* In Tarlabaşı part of Beyoğlu district,  a riot control vehicle (TOMA) has hit Nail Mavuş. 57-year-old Mavuş who has been taken to Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital has lost his life.

* One person has been injured over being hit by a gas capsule.

* In Okmeydanı, a gas bomb thrown by the police has hit a house causing small scale damage.

* Orhan Toprak, Esin Toprak, Mustafa Demirbağken, Nebi Gümüş and İsmail Çiftçi have been arrested on charges of “propagandizing for an [illegal] organization” on May 2. (BK/DG)

* Photographs: Bülent Doruk – İstanbul / Anadolu Agency