Report Reveals Tear Gas Usage in February, March
The police fired tear gas for 21 days in February and for 13 days in the first 22 days of March according to a report by Biber Gazı Yasaklansın (Tear Gas Must be Banned) Initiative.
“Different kinds of chemical weapons were fired for 21 days in February in 16 cities across Turkey.”
“The police fired tear gas canisters and gas spray guns at close range and they used chemicals inside the water cannon vehicles in different provinces like İstanbul, Şırnak (a southeastern district in Turkey), Diyarbakır (a southeastern district in Turkey) and Ankara.”
“The age of those who were exposed to tear gas more than once ranged between 15 and 25. It was confirmed that a 6 months old baby and elderly people were also exposed to tear gas. At least 2 people lost their eye sight”
The Initiative stated that the civilians across 18 different provinces were exposed to tear gas for 13 days until 22 March.
Death, injuries, etc...
Some of the highlight from the report were as follows:
*Police fired tear gas on 11 and 13 March in Berkin Elvan’s (15 year-old boy killed by the police tear gas canister in Gezi Park resistance) burial ceremony. A 30 year-old riot police lost his life after being affected by tear gas in Dersim (an eastern province of Turkey).
* Several injuries were reported due to the tear gas canister in Dersim.
*According to TÜİK (Statistics Institute of Turkey) 1,272,000 inhabitants of Kadıköy, Şişli, Beyoğlu and Beşiktaş districts in Istanbul were exposed to tear gas.
Harmful for all living organisms
The initiative pointed out that the tear gas could have fatal effects and reminded that it could cause irreversible injures in body and the loss of organs.
“Tear gas does not discriminate. It harms all creatures. Thus, tens of street animals died in June resistance. They lived through a psychological trauma due to these attacks which made no sense to them.”
The components of the initiative included: Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği (ÇHD), İnsan Hakları Derneği (İHD) İstanbul Eczacı Odası, İstanbul Tabip Odası, TMMOB Kimya Mühendisleri Odası İstanbul Şubesi, Toplumsal Dayanışma İçin Psikologlar Derneği (TODAP), Türkiye İnsan Hakları Vakfı (TİHV), Acıbadem Dayanışması, Barış ve Demokrasi Partisi İstanbul İl Örgütü (BDP), Beyaz Yaka Dayanışması, Caferağa Dayanışması, Cihangir Parkı Forumu, Çağdaş Eczacılar Derneği, DİSK İstanbul Temsilciliği, Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Partisi (ESP), Gezi Partisi, Gezi Şehitleri ve Gazileri Platformu, Halkların Demokratik Partisi İstanbul İl Örgütü (HDP), Hayvanların Yaşam Haklarını Koruma Derneği, İmece Toplumun Şehircilik Hareketi, İstanbul Halkevi, İstanbul İşçi Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Meclisi, İstanbul Veteriner Hekimleri Odası, Kozyatağı Dayanışması, Lambdaistanbul LGBTİ Dayanışma Derneği, Politeknik, Tatavla Dayanışması, TMMOB Çevre Mühendisleri Odası İstanbul Şubesi, TMMOB Elektik Mühendisleri Odası İstanbul Şubesi, TMMOB Harita ve Kadastro Mühendisleri Odası İstanbul Şubesi, TMMOB Jeoloji Mühendisleri Odası İstanbul Şubesi
TMMOB Metalurji Mühendisleri Odası İstanbul Şubesi, TMMOB Mimarlar Odası İstanbul Büyükkent Şubesi, TMMOB Şehir Plancıları Odası İstanbul Şubesi, Toplumcu Mühendis, Mimar, Şehir Plancıları, Toplumsal Özgürlük Parti Girişimi (TÖPG), Türk Üniversiteli Kadınlar Derneği, Üsküdar Doğancılar Parkı Forumu, Wernicke-Korsakofflular ve Eski Mahpuslarla Dayanışma Girişimi, Yeldeğirmeni Dayanışması, Yoğurtçu Parkı Aktif Politika Atölyesi, Yoğurtçu Parkı Forumu. (YY/BD/BM)
* Click here to view to full report in Turkish.