Double Standard in Police Violence: Two Practices of Same Law
Police chief has been suspended over handcuffing women wearing head scarf in the operation against Gülen Community* in Manisa, but what happened to those who beat women and drag them on the roads?
Following Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu demanding probe into handcuff of women wearing head scarf in the operation against Gülen Community in Manisa, Manisa Police Chief, Tayfur Erdal Ceren, has been suspended.
In the recent years, especially after Gezi protests people have been detained by being beaten, and handcuffed from behind. Nevertheless, let alone police chief even law enforcers acting illegally haven't faced any sanctions.
Cinmen: It is against the regulations
Lawyer Ergin Cinmen speaking to bianet has expressed that according to Regulations of Seizure, Detainment, Questioning, "People who are transferred from somewhere to another by being seized or arrested can be handcuffed if there is any sign of the person to run away or pose danger to himself/herself or others around".
Therefore, Cinmen underlines that handcuffing people detained in Manisa is against the regulations, and especially beating people in detainment is totally agains the regulations.
Detainment examples with photos
We've compiled photos of police inflicting violence during detainment in recent years:
bianet reporter Beyza Kural was tried to be taken into custody by police officers saying "Nothing will be like before. We will teach it to you" whilst she was pursuing news as to YÖK protests on November 6, 2015. Kural
A group of around 30 students gathering in front of Akdeniz University Campus Central Dining Hall wanted to rally to protest foundation anniversary of YÖK. This is how police violence reflected on photos.
After the bomb attack in Suruç which claimed 33 lives, police attacking a group intended to rally on July 24, 2015 in Kadıköy district of İstanbul province got people on the ground by handcuffing them from behind.
Three people going in front of İzmir Governorate to have their friend who was detained on July 28, 2015 released was detained by being battered.
This is how 29 people waiting in front of İstanbul Security Directorate for their friends who was detained on April 3, 2015.
31 people who protested during trial held on May 25, 2015 over Hasan Ferit Gedik that was murdered in Gülsuyu were taken into custody.
This is how the 23 people who wanted to protest Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) attack on Kobane were detained on October 13, 2014.
Police officer battered and pulled hair of the young lady on June 2, 2013 during Gezi protests in İzmir.
Hip of Dilşat Aktaş was broken by police attack on May 31, 2011 in Ankara in the protest against killing of Metin Lokumcu in Hopa
Police beat the woman who said "Don't hit, I'm pregnant" in the protest against then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gathering with rectors at Dolmabahçe Palace on December 4, 2010. The woman miscarried but court issued verdict of non-prosecution on the grounds that "it is not medically possible to establish a causal conncetion between police violence and miscarriage".
Police used disproportionate force on students who wanted to commemorate at Ondokuz Mayıs University on December 25, 2014. (EKN/TK)
* The Gülen movement is a transnational religious and social movement led by US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen. The movement The Turkish Authorities refer to the movement as the Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETO) due to charges of wiretapping high-ranking authorities and establishing a parallel state by means of infiltrating important state institutions such as judiciary, security deparment, and media.
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