Cizre Report of Diyarbakır Bar Association: Witnesses Tell
Diyarbakır Bar Association published a survey report on curfew declared between September 4 and September 12, 2015 in Cizre district of Şırnak province in southeastern Turkey and also stated they would invite United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions to Cizre.
15 people died from injured by firearms, 5 people died since they couldn’t be taken to the hospital or due to other reasons and 9 civilians and 25 securşty guards were injured according to the report.
Governor of Şırnak had stated 42 guerrillas were captured dead, but Diyarbakır Bar Association’s report indicated it wasn’t confirmed in any way.
Diyarbakır Bar Association says summarily:
“The curfew declared by Şırnak Governorship Office in Cizre town on 4 September 2015 lasted until 12 September 2015 and during this time all communication means connecting Cizre to the outside world had been cut with a very few exceptions. Within the same period all the roads to Cizre town have been blocked by barricades of security forces. The armored military or police vehicles and tanks besieged all around the town.
All public services including water, electricity, garbage collection, health, education, legal services had been interrupted altogether during the curfew. Dwellers had been deprived of all basic life needs such as food, medicine, milk, infant formula etc. Especially disruptions in water, electricity, health services like ambulances had significantly affected the public health and caused deaths in some instances.
During the period of curfew, in some districts (Nur, Cudi, Sur and Yafes) security operations had been performed by military tanks, police panzers and the military with heavy weaponry. The officials had announced the aim of operation as removing trenches and barricades and arresting some armed suspects.
At the end of the operations carried out and conflicts happened during the period of curfew sixteen (16) civilians died of gunshots or shrapnel pieces; dozens of people were injured and six (6) people lost their lives due to not having access to hospitals. Ambulances had not been running and some people bled to death.
Despite a series of actions relating to the right to life and other grave human rights violations, no CSI or forensic examination and evidence collection process has taken place; victims and witnesses have not been heard.
The curfew has violated constitutional and basic rights of citizens like the right to live, prohibition of inhuman treatment, right to freedom and security, inviolability of private and family lives. (ÇT/BD)
Click here to read the article in Turkish