43,780 people's right to life violated in Turkey in 18 years

"Human - Rights"

Click to read the article in Turkish

Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu has released a report on rights violations committed in the 18-year period when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was in power.

Covering the period from 2002, when the AKP won the first general election in the country, to 2020, the report has shown that at least 43,780 violations of right to life were committed during these 18 years. Of the ones whose right to life was violated, 3,396 were children.

The report of the main opposition MP has also stressed that the problems in the fields of fundamental human rights, justice, equality and judicial independence intensified, which has been much more aggravated during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic period.

1,062 extrajudicial killings in 18 years

According to the report, the 18-year period saw 1,062 extrajudicial killings and 261 unidentified murders as well as 305 deaths caused by landmines, 850 deaths in the attacks of illegal organizations, 120 deaths during civilian conflicts, 781 deaths on migratory routes, 86 deaths in detention and 30 deaths on death fasts across the country.

The report has also shown that the right to life of 2,380 people was violated in prisons, that of 6,732 women in feminicides, 112 people in hate murders, 26,407 people in occupational homicides, 373 people in suspicious soldier deaths, 274 people during the coup attempt on July 15, 2016 and 11 people in incidents caused by police-soldier vehicles.

321 civilians died during curfews

According to the report in the period from August 16, 2015 to January 1, 2020, 381 curfews were imposed in 11 provinces and at least 51 districts.

During the period of curfews in Turkey's Kurdish-majority provinces, 321 civilians lost their lives between August 16, 2015 and August 16, 2016.

Rights of 3,396 children violated

In the period from 2011 to 2020, the right to life of at least 3,396 children was violated across Turkey.

The report has also shown that 808 journalists in total were arrested during the AKP rule. In 18 years, at least 27,493 incidents of torture and ill treatment took place. These incidents peaked in 2015 and 2016.

While the year 2015 saw 5,671 incidents of torture and ill treatment in Turkey, this number was 5,606 in 2016. (RT/SD)