Report: 255 violations of right to life in Turkey in May

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu has shared his "May 2021 Rights Violations Report."

According to the report, one violation of right to life was committed under the heading of "extrajudicial killing, random shooting, stop warning" while five deaths occurred in prisons, 17 women were killed and 232 violations of right to life happened under the heading of occupational homicides. 255 violations of right to life were committed in total in Turkey in May.

Some other highlights from the report are as follows:

219 people tortured, maltreated

May 2021 saw 219 incidents of torture and maltreatment. At least 38 people, including 3 children, spoke to the press, filed complaints or applied to human rights organizations and said that they were subjected to torture of security forces in detention or outside the detention centers.

In protests and demonstrations held in May, at least 181 people were subjected to the physical violence of police officers.

Torture, maltreatment in prisons

At least 87 people were subjected to physical/psychological violence in prison in May. These people were sent to other prisons without their consent, they were prevented from exercising their right to health, they were not given their right to food, bed, hot water and communication.

Access block on 19 websites

Access blocks were imposed on 19 websites in May, among which were also the websites of newspapers.

The public ads of Evrensel newspaper were cut for five days due to the article of Ceren Sözeri titled "The homeland has made history, people cannot breathe." Taken together with the previous ad cuts, the public ads of the daily have so far been cut for 103 days in total.

7 people detained due to social media posts

At least seven people, including a child, were detained due to their social media messages in May. One (Taylan Kulaçoğlu) was arrested.

Police intervention against 56 events

During the press statements, distribution of leaflets and protests demonstrations (1st of May rally, Furkan Foundation, Rize/İkizdere, Boğaziçi University), which were forcefully intervened by the police, at least 618 people (394 on May Day) were detained, at least 6 were arrested.

In May, at least seven events, press statements, meetings, performances, festivals, theater plays or film screenings were prevented and banned by governor's offices and sub-governor's offices across Turkey.

In four provinces, all events and demonstrations were banned for varying periods of time. These provinces were Van, Hakkari, Rize, İzmir.

Freedom of expression

According to the report of the main opposition MP, 43 violations occurred within the frame of freedom of expression.

The number of convicted journalists, writers and publishers was one, that of detained journalists was three and that of prosecuted or investigated journalists was two in May. While one lawsuit/investigation was opened due to confiscation, penalty and expression of thought, 13 people were arrested and three people were convicted within this context.

Freedom of association and assembly

The number of rights violations committed within the frame of freedom of association was 28. While 624 people were taken into custody and/or arrested during press statements, events and protests, the number of events and press statements intervened was 56 in May.

While seven events, performances and theater plays were banned and hindered, the number of provinces where events and demonstrations were banned was four. Taken together, 691 violations of association and assembly occured in Turkey in May. (TP/SD)