TIHV: Death in Police Raid is Murder

The Turkish Human Rights Foundation has condemned the death of Kever Mizrak on the hands of police: "The police and gendarmerie do not use guns as a last resort."

Tolga Korkut

After 38-year old Kevser Mizrak was killed by police during a raid at her house on 10 December, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV) said:

"Every death during police raids is a muder. We say no to extrajudicial and judicial team killings."

Last such cases in Ankara/Istanbul in 1995

The foundation has called on the government to make all efforts to shed light on the case. It pointed out that such violations of the right to life had not happened in Ankara or Istanbul since 1995. The foundation was worried about a possible return to the period of 1993-1995:

"The last deaths during a police raid were the murders of Mustafa Selcuk, Sirin Erol and Seyhan Ayyildiz on 12 April 1995 in Ankara. This is a situation where law is suspended, where judiciary organs are left out the process, and where the police decides who is guilty or innocent."

Guns are last resort

TIHV argued that this kind of practice was used to spread fear and pointed out the principle of gun use:

"Guns are supposed to be used as a last resort and in order to disable a person who is trying to flee or attack. We want to believe that the police and gendarmerie forces remain within legitimate limits when using guns. However, this recent event has made us believe that guns are not being used as a last resort." (TK/AG)