ANKARA - Speaking at the PACE, HDP MP Feleknas Uca, said that the police inflicted violence on the opposition groups in Turkey and attacked the deputies. PACE and AKP member Ziya Altunyıldız denied police violence in Turkey.

 

In the General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the report "Combating Violence and Lawlessness Perpetrated by Law Enforcement Forces" prepared by the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Commission was discussed.

 

Greeting the PACE members, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Feleknas Uca said the following: "I would like to thank the rapporteur for this important report.

 

Following the death of George Floyd in the United States of America, it triggered a wave of protests against impunity.

 

Of course, police violence is not only a problem in the United States, but we also see it in Europe, where violence is also committed at peaceful rallies or protests. Again, at peaceful rallies or protests, we see police abuses of abusive, degrading, and arbitrary practices rapidly increasing.

 

This violence is even being pronounced as impunity for officers, and this is causing the violence to increase. Lately, we are even seeing massive right-wing extremist groups being found within police structures — and yes, that is dangerous.

 

The level of violence against immigrants at the borders is increasing day by day. In many countries, border police commit violence against immigrants who try to cross the borders. Time and again, this violence goes unpunished.

 

Political prisoners are also subjected to both physical and psychological torture in prisons, where they are arbitrarily treated, especially deprived of the right to life.

 

This leads to people taking their own lives. Very often, people are deprived of their constitutional right to demonstrate, or they are prevented from exercising a critical opinion or statement against the government and are then subjected to police violence. For example, in the 2017 referendum in Catalonia, an investigation was supposed to be launched against police brutality but has not been resolved to date.

 

I would also like to mention police violence in Turkey. Just being a member of the opposition, being a woman or being a Kurd is reason enough to experience rights violations or police violence.

 

This is also the case during a demonstration, a press conference or a peaceful action, which ends with police violence and tear gas. In the Kurdish provinces, at least 41 people have been killed by police armoured vehicles on the streets in the last 14 years — including 20 children. Time and again, such incidents result in the impunity of the officers and the investigations against the police officers are dropped.

 

Even we, as MPs, are attacked and prevented from our political work. If they already deal with us in such a way, then we imagine nevertheless simple citizens, what happens with them or how they deal with them.

 

In all countries where citizens have been tortured and mistreated, dozens of trials are underway.

 

We also know that due to police violence and abuse, laws are not effectively enforced, due to ineffective implementation of laws and non-compliance with international conventions. Combating violence and police brutality is everyone's primary responsibility."

 

AKP'S ALTUNYILDIZ DENIES POLICE VIOLENCE

 

Taking the floor after Uca's speech, AKP member Ziya Altunyıldız from AKP denied police violence in Turkey. Altunyıldız said, “Police officers in Turkey are regularly trained to raise their awareness about human rights. Those who commit unjust acts of violence will be held responsible for their acts and will be subject to administrative and judicial proceedings.

 

Altunyıldız also denied HDP Deputy Feleknas Uca's words, arguing that the police did not commit violence.