Turkish gov’t buys thousands of pepper spray canisters in run-up to elections

As the May 14 elections approach, the Interior Ministry’s police and gendarmerie departments have increased the number of their tenders for the purchase of pepper spray. Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Murat Bakan on April 19 stated that the Gendarmerie General Command instructed all its personnel to be ready to stand by their units on the election day.

Saturday April 22 2023 12:50 pm

This picture shows the famous "women in red" from 2013 Gezi Protests.

Duvar English

The Interior Ministry's General Directorate of Security and the Gendarmerie General Command have increased the number of their tenders for the purchase of pepper spray since February 2023, according to reporting by the daily BirGün.

Police and Gendarmerie warehouses are stocked with various types of pepper spray, from the handheld type to those worn on the back to the grenade-shaped solution.

According to the information in the Public Tender Bulletin, some of the tenders organized by the internal security forces in the last two months are as follows: 50,000 pepper spray canisters on Feb. 28, some 20,000 gas bombs on March 30, some 5,000 smoke grenades on March 30, and 5,000 bigger pepper spray capsules on April 3.

In addition, since tenders related to defense, security, and intelligence are not subject to the Public Procurement Law, the announcements with regards to the tender results have not been disclosed. Also, the companies and the amount awarded to them have been kept secret.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Murat Bakan on April 19 stated that the Gendarmerie General Command instructed all its personnel to be ready to stand by their units on the election day. He said that this practice has not been conducted in any of the previous elections even during the emergence rule.