TurkeyRegionalActionNetwork

URGENTACTION EXCESSIVEFORCEAGAINSTPROTESTERSMUSTEND
SinceMay29th,over2,000peoplehavebeeninjuredacrossTurkeyafterpoliceused watercannonandteargasagainstdemonstrators. ProtestsbeganinGeziParkinTaksim,inthecentreofTurkey'slargestcity,Istanbul,onMay 27th.Afewhundredprotestersoccupiedtheparktodemonstrateagainstitsdestructiontomake wayforthebuildingofashoppingcentre.IntheearlyhoursofMay29th,policestartedto dispersethem,usingteargasandexcessiveforce.DuringthenightofThursdayMay30th,upto 3,000protestersjoinedtheprotest.Theywereremovedfromtheparkintheearlyhoursofthe morningbypoliceusingteargasandwatercannon.Scoresofpeoplewereinjuredduringthe policecrackdown. SinceFridayMay31st,protestsspreadacrossthecountry,andbySundayJune2nd,therewere hundredsofprotestsin67provinces.AccordingtotheTurkishMedicalAssociation,atleast 1,500peoplewereinjuredinIstanbulover400peoplewereinjuredinAnkara,Turkey'scapital andanother420inIzmir,inwesternTurkey.TheTurkishMedicalAssociationstatedthatthe majorityoftheinjurieswerecausedbytheuseofwatercannonandteargas. AmnestyInternationalcondemnsthewidespreaduseofteargasandwatercannontodisperse peacefulprotesters.Videoevidencehasdocumentedpolicedeliberatelyfiringteargascanisters atprotesters.Membersofthepublicwhohavenotbeenprotestinghavebeenaffectedbythe excessiveuseofteargas,whichhasbeenusedinconfinedspacessuchasthemetrostationin Taksimandallegedlyinbuildingswhereprotestersweresheltering. Theauthoritiesclaimtohavedetainedcloseto1000people.Dozensofamateurvideostakenat thesceneofdemonstrationsshowlawenforcementofficialshitting,kickingandbeating protesterswithtruncheons,includingwhentheyhadbeenincapacitatedbytheeffectsoftear gas. EvenifyouliveoutsideofTurkey,youcanjoinindefendingtherighttopeacefulprotestandthe rightsoftheprotestorsnottobesubjectedtoexcessiveuseofforce.Takeactionnow!

4STEPSYOUCANTAKENOW:

1)SignAmnestyInternationalUSAonlinepetition:
Ittakesonly2minutes.Sopleaseencourageyourfriendsandfamilytosignthepetitionrightnow byclickinghere.

2)Twittercampaign:
Ifyouareactiveontwitter,pleaseretweetus@AIUSA_TURKRAN.Herearesomesuggested tweets:

.@RT_ErdoganIntervenenow!Nomoreabusiveuseofforcebypolice@aforgutu #insanhaklar#humanrightsforturkey#humanrights .@RT_ErdoganTurkishauthoritiesmustallowtherighttopeacefulprotestofthe demonstrators@aforgutu#insanhaklar#humanrightsforturkey .@RT_ErdoganNomorepolicebeatings!Nomorefiringteargascanistersdeliberatelyat protesters@aforgutu#humanrightsforturkey .@RT_ErdoganReleaseuptodateandaccurateinformationonnumbersandextentof injuries@aforgutu#insanhaklar#humanrightsforturkey .@RT_ErdoganCallimmediate,independent&impartialinvestigationintoallegationsof excessiveforce@aforgutu#humanrightsforturkey .@RT_ErdoganChangetrack:Stoptheviolence,allowpeacefulprotest,investigate abusesandneverallowitagain@aforgutu#insanhaklar .@RT_ErdoganNomoredeathsatdemonstrationsin#Turkey!@aforgutu#insanhaklar #humanrightsforturkey#humanrights

3)WritedirectlytotheTurkishgovernment!
Callingontheauthoritiestoimmediatelyendtheexcessiveuseofforceagainst peacefulprotestors Callingforthemtoensuretherighttofreedomofexpressionandassembly Urgingforaprompt,independentandimpartialinvestigationintotheexcessiveuseof forceandbringtojusticelawenforcementofficialsfoundtohaveilltreated demonstratorsorothermembersofthepublic.

SampleLetter:
Dear_______, IhavebeenshockedbyimagesshowingpoliceactionsagainstdemonstratorsinIstanbulandotherTurkish cities,andcallupontheTurkishgovernmenttoimmediatelyendtheexcessiveuseofforceagainstpeaceful demonstrators.Thereneedstobeaprompt,independentandimpartialinvestigationintotheexcesses committedbylawenforcementofficialssothatthosewhohaveilltreateddemonstratorsandothermembers ofthepubliccanbebroughttojustice.IhopethatinthefutureTurkishauthoritieswillensuretherightto freedomofexpressionandassembly,rightsthatareessentialforanytrulydemocraticstate.

PLEASESENDAPPEALSBEFORE17JUNE2013TO: PrimeMinisterMrRecepTayyipErdoan OfficeofthePrimeMinister, Babakanlk, 06573Ankara,Turkey Fax:+90(312)4221899 Email:ozelkalem@basbakanlik.gov.tr Salutation:DearPrimeMinister MinisterofInteriorMr.MuammerGler ileriBakanl Bakanlklar Ankara,Turkey Fax:+903124181795 Salutation:DearMinister Andcopiesto: ParliamentaryCommissiononHumanRightsChairAyhanSeferstn TBMMnsanHaklarncelemeKomisyonu Bakanlklar,06543Ankara,Turkey Fax:+903124205394 Email:insanhaklarikom@tbmm.gov.tr AmbassadorNamikTan Embassy,RepublicofTurkey 2525MassachusettsAve.,NW Washington,DC20008 *IfyouliveoutsidetheUSA,pleasecopytodiplomaticrepresentativesaccreditedtoyour country.Youcanfindtheirmailinginformationhere.

4)RaiseAwareness&Stayinformed Sharethisdocumentwithyourfriendsandfamilyaroundtheworldandencouragethemtotake actionswithyourightnow.Onevoiceofprotestcanbeignored,butthousands,and hundredsofthousandscannot! StayinformedbyfollowingAmnestyUSAsworkonTurkeyonourfacebookpage,blogsite, HumanRightsinTurkey,andtwitter@AIUSA_TURKRANandwewillkeepyouuptodateon howtotakefurtheractions.

Questions?EmailAIUSATURKRANCoordinatorNatsumiAjikiatnajiki@mac.com.

FurtherreadingsonAmnestyInternationalonthecrisis: WhatYouCanDoNOWtoStoptheAbuseofProtestersinTurkey(June4,2013) Turkeymustendabusiveuseofforceandrevealtheextentofinjuries(June3,2013) Turkey:DisgracefuluseofexcessivepoliceforceinIstanbul(June1,2013) TurkeymusthaltbrutalpolicerepressionandinvestigateabusesatIstanbulprotest (May31,2013) AmnestyInternationalcondemnsuseofexcessiveforceagainstpeacefulprotestors (May30,2013)