255 people killed, 306 maltreated, tortured in Turkey in May: report

CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu

Cases of human rights violations in Turkey in May included 255 deaths and 306 incidents of torture and maltreatment, with 87 of them taking place in prisons, according to the monthly Rights Violations Report prepared by Sezgin Tanrıkulu, a human rights defender and deputy from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Bianet news website reported.

May saw 17 femicides, Tanrıkulu, who also serves as deputy chairman of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, said.

The report revealed that 232 workers and five inmates were among those whose right to life was violated last month.

According to the May report, at least 27 politicians, including political party administrators, mayors and members of parliament, were arrested. Thirteen people faced detention or arrest over expressions of opinion, with three people convicted in May.

Turkish authorities launched investigations into two members of the press; one journalist was convicted, and three members of the press were detained. Access to 20 URLs was also blocked last month.

Seven individuals were arrested over their social media messages in May, the report said.

According to the report, Turkish police intervened in at least 56 demonstrations, public press statements and gatherings last month, detaining at least 624 people.

Tanrıkulu had released a report in January which revealed that a total of 27,493 people were victims of torture and maltreatment between 2002, when the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power, and 2020 and that 86 others died from such mistreatment.

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