'Fifty seven children detained in Diyarbakır Newroz celebrations'

Photo: Evrensel

Click to read the article in Turkish

Justice for Children Association, Diyarbakır Bar Association Children's Rights Commission, and Human Rights Association Amed branch child commission jointly announced that 57 children were taken into custody in the Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakır on Tuesday.

Three watchdog organizations in Diyarbakır issued a joint statement where they stated that 57 children were taken into custody during the Newroz celebrations (March 21) by the police this year.

The detentions that started early in the morning and were carried out without any detention warrant were monitored by the three organizations throughout the day in order to prevent children being subject to any other violation of rights, the joint statement stated.

Accordingly, the lawyers who were present in the Diyarbakır Police Headquarters children's branch were able to see the children and observe the procedures, but only after the intervention by the bar association.

Children kept until Newroz is over

The lawyers learned in this branch that the prosecutor of the Diyarbakır Chief Prosecutor's Office appointed in the anti-terror office of the police headquarters had instructed the police to detain the children for "propaganda of a terrorist organization." The children would be handed over to their families after 05:00 pm at the end of the Newroz celebrations and then brought to the children's branch later during the week within working hours to take their statements.

An investigation on a child should be carried out directly by the prosecutor assigned to the children's office according to article 15 of the Law on Protection of the Child reminded the joint statement.

"However, it has become the ordinary practice that in Diyarbakır the investigation in the scope of the Anti-Terror Law is carried out by the prosecutor assigned to the anti-terror branch of the police," it said.

Police tried to keep identity cards 

Three children's rights organizations also stated that the police tried to keep the identity cards of the children while releasing them and that they had to remind them that this was illegal in order to prevent it. Allegedly a police officer said during the discussion, "We do not have to do everything according to the law."

The joint statement also includes other observations and alleged violations of rights. It states that at least 5 children has said that they had been subjected to violence in the Newroz square. Some children were affected by the tear gas. While one 9-year-old was taken into custody, another minor was detained was rear hand-cuffed. The doctor examining the child did not carry out a physical examination but only asked the child if there were any injuries. Photographs of some children were shot after making them open flags or banners. A girl wearing a headscarf was made to take it off and photographed.

The organizations jointly announced that they do not accept the arbitrary and illegal practices that the children coming to the Newroz celebrations are made subject to and that they will be monitoring the legal procedures. (SS/AÖ/PE)