Turkey records over 2,000 violations of right to life in 11 months

A total of 2,344 citizens lost their lives due to human rights violations, and another 2,953 have been exposed to torture of bad treatment within the last 11 months in Turkey, according to a report penned by the main opposition CHP.

Friday December 10 2021 10:59 am

Turkish riot police use plastic bullets during a protest in this file photo.

Duvar English

A total of 2,344 people had their right to life violated in Turkey in the last 11 months, according to a report prepared by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Sezgin Tanrıkulu.

The report covers the period from January to November for the year 2021.

Violations are not limited to right to life; another 2,953 people have been tortured or exposed to ill-treatment within the same period.

“The figure with regards to the violation of right to life is 2,344. This only covers the right to life. Torture continues as an administrative implementation throughout whole Turkey. Torture is not only undertaken in detention centers and prisons, but also on street, everywhere and against everyone in an explicit way, especially to create an atmosphere of fear,” Tanrıkulu was quoted by saying by online news outlet T24 on Dec. 9.

“Within the past year, 2,156 people have been exposed to torture. According to human rights organizations' reports, another 797 people have been exposed to torture or bad treatment in jails. Within the framework of freedom of expression, a total of our 1,254 citizens have been detained or imposed bans. A total of 347 citizens have been detained for expressing their opinions, 44 of whom were convicted,” Tanrıkulu said.

Rights groups have been drawing attention to several violations of right in Turkey, including arbitrary killings, suspicious deaths of persons in custody, forced disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest, interference with the judiciary, and violence against women and the LGBTI community. They have been emphasizing that Turkish prosecutors use a broad definition of terrorism to file criminal charges against critics.