Responding to the unlawful three-day blanket ban on all protests issued by the Istanbul governor and reports of unlawful use of force by police against protestors, Esther Major, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Research in Europe, said:
“The Turkish authorities’ crackdown on protestors in Istanbul on Sunday and Monday is the latest chapter in an ongoing pattern of police violence that has marred the country for over a decade.
“Blanket bans on protest are a disproportionate restriction on the right of peaceful assembly. Moreover, according to evidence seen by Amnesty International, police used both unnecessary and disproportionate force – deploying water cannons, kinetic impact projectiles and pepper spray against largely peaceful protesters.
“Turkish authorities must immediately lift the blanket ban and refrain from imposing these bans in future. Authorities have a duty to protect and facilitate the right of peaceful assembly, not to prevent or restrict it. The authorities must also investigate the allegations of unlawful police use of force, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure victims receive redress for the harms they were subjected to.”
Link zur Presseerklärung auf amnesty.org