Police, gendarmerie intervened in at least 700 protests in 5 months

* Photo: United Metal Workers' Union

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Republican People's Party (CHP) Aydın MP Süleyman Bülbül made a speech at the 2021 Interior Ministry Budget Talks today (November 27).

Mentioning the protests and demonstrations not allowed in Turkey on the grounds of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the MP has announced that security forces have intervened in at least 700 demonstrations and press statements over the past five months.

CHP's Süleyman Bülbül briefly said: 

"While law enforcement officers intervened in at least 1,215 demonstrations in 2019, they intervened in at least 700 protests and demonstrations from June to October. At least 3,980 people were detained in these demonstrations, which means that the Article 34 of the Constitution on the right to hold meetings and demonstration marches was violated hundreds of times.

'Minister doesn't know Governor's ban'

"Outbreak was always used as an excuse for the preventions, the celebration of national days was also banned on the excuse of outbreak. With circulars, our celebration attempted to be reduced to mere wreath-laying. In fact, the request for laying a wreath on the anniversary of the Lausanne Peace Treaty was rejected by the Governor's Office of Aydın.

"As an answer to the Parliamentary question that I had submitted to your Ministry about it, it was said that 'there had been no decision to ban it.' Mr. Minister [of Interior Süleyman Soylu], does the Governor's Office draw a different framework than the Ministry of Interior?

"While the laws do not work on the ruling AKP, we would like to hear a legitimate explanation, without referring to the outbreak, as to why the celebrations to be held for our national days were banned:

"What was the reason for banning the celebrations on October 29 [Republic Day] and August 30 [Victory Day]?"

'Law enforcement endangers public order'

In his speech, CHP's Süleyman Bülbül also reminded his audience that when the families of the ones who lost their lives in the October 10 Ankara Massacre wanted to lay carnations in the place where the incident took place, they were prevented from doing so.

He also referred to the workers and miners from Gezbe, Soma and Ermenek who were prevented from marching to the capital city of Ankara for their labor rights as well as to the villagers of Aydın who wanted to protest the geothermal power plant attempted to be built in their region.

"Law enforcement does not establish public order; on the contrary, it endangers it," Bülbül protested. (HA/SD)