Police brutality increasing: report
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Radikal
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 19, 2009 09:33
ISTANBUL - Instances involving police brutality have increased in the past two years after the law regulating the duties and reponsibilities of the police was altered to give them more leeway while using force, says a report released by the Turkey Human Rights Foundation.
In the two years since police were given more powers, instances of brutality have risen sharply, a newspaper’s Web site reported Thursday.
Thirteen people have died in police custody, 53 people were injured by police-fired weapons and there were 416 instances of torture and mistreatment in this period, daily Radikal’s Web site reported, citing a report by the Turkey Human Rights Foundation, or TİHV. Staff from TİHV prepared the report on human rights violations by police in the two years since their authority was expanded.
Regulations in line with European Union norms were introduced in 2005 as part of the new Civil Code but the regulations affecting the police were changed in 2007 after police complained they could not carry out their duties effectively.
Since the change in the law regarding police responsibilities and duties, 40 people have been killed and 53 injured in situations when commands to stop were disobeyed, during demonstrations and when weapons were used during house raids.
The TİHV said according to international norms, security forces could resort to the use of weapons only in instances when their life or another’s person’s life was in immediate danger. But due to the changes in the law regarding police responsibilities and duties, weapons have been used in instances when there was no threat to anyone’s life.
The TİHV stated the 416 cases of torture and mistreatment as:
Beatings: 230 instances
Insults: 57 instances
Use of pepper spray: 47 instances
Threats: 34 instances
Use of pressurized water canons and cold water: 11 instances
Verbal harassment: 7 instances
Death threats: 5 instances
Rape threats: 5 instances
Detention in a cold and dark place: 3 instances
Keeping a suspect in kneeling or immobile position: 3 instances
Not providing food or water: 2 instances
Other methods: 12 instances
The report states that due to 168 of these incidents occurring on the streets it was a pointer to practices of torture carried out outside official places. It said 109 of the incidents occurred in detention facilities.
The report also stated that most of the incidents occurred in Istanbul followed by İzmir, Diyarbakır, Hakkari, Van, Ankara and Adana.
Thirteen people have died in police custody, 53 people were injured by police-fired weapons and there were 416 instances of torture and mistreatment in this period, daily Radikal’s Web site reported, citing a report by the Turkey Human Rights Foundation, or TİHV. Staff from TİHV prepared the report on human rights violations by police in the two years since their authority was expanded.
Regulations in line with European Union norms were introduced in 2005 as part of the new Civil Code but the regulations affecting the police were changed in 2007 after police complained they could not carry out their duties effectively.
Since the change in the law regarding police responsibilities and duties, 40 people have been killed and 53 injured in situations when commands to stop were disobeyed, during demonstrations and when weapons were used during house raids.
The TİHV said according to international norms, security forces could resort to the use of weapons only in instances when their life or another’s person’s life was in immediate danger. But due to the changes in the law regarding police responsibilities and duties, weapons have been used in instances when there was no threat to anyone’s life.
The TİHV stated the 416 cases of torture and mistreatment as:
Beatings: 230 instances
Insults: 57 instances
Use of pepper spray: 47 instances
Threats: 34 instances
Use of pressurized water canons and cold water: 11 instances
Verbal harassment: 7 instances
Death threats: 5 instances
Rape threats: 5 instances
Detention in a cold and dark place: 3 instances
Keeping a suspect in kneeling or immobile position: 3 instances
Not providing food or water: 2 instances
Other methods: 12 instances
The report states that due to 168 of these incidents occurring on the streets it was a pointer to practices of torture carried out outside official places. It said 109 of the incidents occurred in detention facilities.
The report also stated that most of the incidents occurred in Istanbul followed by İzmir, Diyarbakır, Hakkari, Van, Ankara and Adana.