Is The Police Force The New Judiciary?

Excessive use of police force is one of the biggest issues in current politics. We are constantly encountering it in different settings and different regions but freedom of assembly is a civil liberty, a human right. So, why is the paradox? In the last six months, we faced it with the massive protests in Turkey, Brazil, Ukraine and many others, and we are experiencing riot police interference regardless of whether it is a peaceful protest or a nuclear threat. Most of the time, police’s personal feelings seem to be involved and effective on determination of the amount of power executed. Seeing an outburst of anger, an opposition, and a danger for the authority in every crowd protesting is chronic.

During the Gezi Park Protests, protesters warned each other not to throw rocks and overcome vandalism by chanting “calm down” as a slogan for each other. The aim was to preserve the protests’ peaceful attitude. However unlawful intervention triggers violence and endangers both the civilians and the police. That is why “provocation” can never be an excuse of police violence.

Amnesty Turkey recently took action for Hakan Yaman, one of the victims of excessive use of police violence, http://vimeo.com/81084138 “What happened to Hakan Yaman?”

Hakan Yaman was a 37 year oId driver; he has a wife and two children. He wasn’t a protester and he had no contact with the police however on the third of June, camera records indicate that 5 riot police attacked him in Istanbul. He explains that first the water canon sprayed pressured water then he was shot with an OC gas (pepper gas) capsule, beaten by the police to death, and thrown into a burning barricade and left there. He had brain surgery, one of his eyes was dislocated with a sharp object in the scene by a policeman and he lost %80 of sight at his other eye. His treatment is in progress, waiting a series of surgeries. 

During the Gezi Park Protests in Turkey the riot police interfered and tried to oppress protestors in many cities. 6 died, more than 8000 were injured including protestors and non-protestors. Individuals were being beaten by the police, sexually harassed in police stations and on the streets, randomly taken under custody... 

Moreover, when rights are violated, self-censorship of the media is solely lack of professionalism and one of the reasons of cumulative violence. It creates a blind spot for the authorities, as well as expressing support. Amnesty Turkey is urging the authorities to conduct impartial and independent investigations and hearings for excessive use of police force.

Hakan Yaman says, he woke up in the fire, barely saw the water canon couple of meters away and did not move thinking if it sees him it will run over him, and he preferred to wait in the fire. After the riot police left, he managed to pull himself out of it and people around took him to the hospital.

Is this the monopoly of violence that every individual supposedly agrees by being a citizen? Sarcastically speaking, every settlement has a potential, maybe we should get rid of the population just to be sure, and keep the state as an abstract concept for the well being of the nature. An impartial, independent and unaffiliated jurisdiction is the only way that a legal body can have the support and trust of its entire society. Needless to say, this entirety is mandatory for a democracy!

If you would like to be in solidarity with Hakan Yaman you can sign the petition,

http://www.change.org/tr/kampanyalar/hakan-yaman-a-sald%C4%B1ranlar-hakk%C4%B1nda-etkin-ba%C4%9F%C4%B1ms%C4%B1z-ve-tarafs%C4%B1z-soru%C5%9Fturma-talep-ediyoruz?share_id=OhDvvqyHfj&utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_true

You can also visit Amnesty Morocco’s page for more information on Hakan Yaman, other cases and the letter writing marathon in French and Arabic, http://amnesty.ma/marathondeslettres/

Eylül Gür

Amnesty International Turkey