Police violence

Prof. Dr. Dogru has argued that the principle of “balancing human rights and security” which the Minister of the Interior wrote about is enshrined in the Penal Code anyway. Effective sanctions are needed to prevent excessive violence.

The Human Rights Agenda Association has called for a control of excessive police violence and compensation for victims.

Since policies powers were increased, more than twenty cases of excessive police violence have been reported. There have been torture, injuries, psychological traumas, and even deaths.

The case concerning the death of Nigerian refugee Okey in police detention has been sent to the Beyoglu Heavy Penal Court.

A police officer said to have kicked a young man in Avcilar who then died has been arrested. IHD calls for reduction in police powers.

The ECHR has awarded damages to a young man who was tortured while in detention in Diyarbakir in 2002.

Polish national Witek is said to have killed himself in detention; vital evidence in Okey case is "lost".

The prosecution has demanded a sentence of 4.5-9 years for the police officer who shot Nigerian refugee Okey in the Beyoglu Police Department.

After Nigerian refugee Festus Okey was killed in police custody on 20 August, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly has condemned police violence.