Turkish police detained 288 people in 45 demonstrations last month: Report

Müzeyyen Yüce / DUVAR 

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu released a report on human rights violations that were committed in Turkey in April.

According to the report titled “Human Rights Violations in Turkey in April 2022,” police intervened against 45 demonstrations last month and detained 288 people.

Governor's offices throughout the country banned at least nine activities such as meetings, demonstrations, festivals, theater or film screenings, according to the report. Investigations were launched against 33 people for their participation in demonstrations.

Fifteen of these investigations were targeted at Emine Şenyaşar, who has been seeking justice for her spouse and two sons who were killed in an attack by a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker's bodyguards in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa in 2018.

In April, all demonstrations and activities were banned in the eastern provinces of Mardin, Van and Hakkari, the report said.

The report also touched upon other human rights violations such as work-related murders. Last month, 129 workers lost their lives in occupational accidents, the report said.

As for incidents of torture and bad treatment, 339 such cases took place last month in the country. Some 78 people were tortured in prisons last month, while 136 people were subjected to police violence during demonstrations and another 125 people were tortured under detention.

(English version by Didem Atakan)

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