15 November 2001 Edition
More deaths in Turkey
Turkish hunger striker Muharrem Cetinkaya has died after setting himself alight in Sincan F-type prison when he heard about the Armutlu massacre on 5 November in which four protestors were massacred. He was taken to hospital badly injured and died on the morning of Monday, 12 November.
A hunger strike against the new prison system has been continuing inside and outside prisons for more than a year. The shanty town neighbourhood of Armutlu in Istanbul was the main place in which supporters of the political prisoners started a hunger strike and where a number of hunger striking prisoners continued their hunger strike having been released from prison on medical grounds. More than 40 people (prisoners, released prisoners and supporters) have already died during the hunger strike.
On 5 November, Turkish police forces had conducted a raid on Armutlu. As a result of the operation four protesters - Arzu Güler, Bülent Durgaç, Baris Kas and Sultan Yildiz - died and at least 14 others were wounded.
The four bodies were removed by police officers from a house which had been burnt down in the course of the raid. The house was one of two where hunger strikes continued; Arzu Güler was participating in the hunger strikes while the other three were supporters. Official sources state that the protesters set themselves on fire and died either from the resulting burns or from carbon monoxide poisoning. During the past few months the death fasters in Armutlu had repeatedly threatened to set themselves on fire should the security forces intervene.
The police operation reportedly started at 3pm and lasted for 30 minutes: approximately 1,000 police officers forced their way into the neighbourhood with armoured vehicles, breaking down barricades constructed by the protesters. Ali Haydar Bozkurt, one of the hunger strikers, set himself on fire and was shot and wounded by police officers when he walked towards them from the barricades.
Eyewitnesses, interviewed by a delegation of human rights defenders, reported that the police repeatedly fired their weapons both at specific targets and at random as they moved towards the death fast house. They also reported the use of gas bombs by the police. The eyewitnesses alleged that there was no armed resistance from the protesters and some newspapers have quoted witnesses saying that police fired into the house of the hunger strikers.
After the operation ended, a contested number of people were arrested and some wounded protesters were driven away in ambulances. Police have not confirmed the number of arrests, deaths or injuries. Furthermore, lawyers are reportedly not allowed to observe the ongoing autopsies.
Amnesty International has called for a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the deaths and injuries.
There are reports that the Armutlu area again came under police attack on Tuesday, 13 November, with a number of arrests.
• There will be a protest against the Armutlu Massacre and to show support for the hunger strikers in Turkey at the Turkish Embassy, Dublin, on Tuesday 20 November between 12.30pm and 2pm. Bus: 7 from O Connell Street or DART to Lansdowne Road.
A hunger strike against the new prison system has been continuing inside and outside prisons for more than a year. The shanty town neighbourhood of Armutlu in Istanbul was the main place in which supporters of the political prisoners started a hunger strike and where a number of hunger striking prisoners continued their hunger strike having been released from prison on medical grounds. More than 40 people (prisoners, released prisoners and supporters) have already died during the hunger strike.
On 5 November, Turkish police forces had conducted a raid on Armutlu. As a result of the operation four protesters - Arzu Güler, Bülent Durgaç, Baris Kas and Sultan Yildiz - died and at least 14 others were wounded.
The four bodies were removed by police officers from a house which had been burnt down in the course of the raid. The house was one of two where hunger strikes continued; Arzu Güler was participating in the hunger strikes while the other three were supporters. Official sources state that the protesters set themselves on fire and died either from the resulting burns or from carbon monoxide poisoning. During the past few months the death fasters in Armutlu had repeatedly threatened to set themselves on fire should the security forces intervene.
The police operation reportedly started at 3pm and lasted for 30 minutes: approximately 1,000 police officers forced their way into the neighbourhood with armoured vehicles, breaking down barricades constructed by the protesters. Ali Haydar Bozkurt, one of the hunger strikers, set himself on fire and was shot and wounded by police officers when he walked towards them from the barricades.
Eyewitnesses, interviewed by a delegation of human rights defenders, reported that the police repeatedly fired their weapons both at specific targets and at random as they moved towards the death fast house. They also reported the use of gas bombs by the police. The eyewitnesses alleged that there was no armed resistance from the protesters and some newspapers have quoted witnesses saying that police fired into the house of the hunger strikers.
After the operation ended, a contested number of people were arrested and some wounded protesters were driven away in ambulances. Police have not confirmed the number of arrests, deaths or injuries. Furthermore, lawyers are reportedly not allowed to observe the ongoing autopsies.
Amnesty International has called for a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the deaths and injuries.
There are reports that the Armutlu area again came under police attack on Tuesday, 13 November, with a number of arrests.
• There will be a protest against the Armutlu Massacre and to show support for the hunger strikers in Turkey at the Turkish Embassy, Dublin, on Tuesday 20 November between 12.30pm and 2pm. Bus: 7 from O Connell Street or DART to Lansdowne Road.