Amnesty International on Monday urged Turkish authorities to end what it described as “unlawful and indiscriminate” use of force against peaceful protesters and to lift sweeping protest bans imposed in multiple cities.
After reviewing video footage of the ongoing protests across Turkey, the rights group said it documented instances of demonstrators being beaten with batons, kicked while on the ground and targeted with pepper spray, tear gas and water cannon. Some were hit in the face and upper body with plastic bullets fired at close range, resulting in injuries and hospitalizations.
“The use of unnecessary and indiscriminate force by police against peaceful protesters in Türkiye must immediately stop,” said Amnesty Secretary-General Agnès Callamard. “These unlawful acts of violence must be investigated promptly and the perpetrators brought to justice.”
Amnesty condemned the crackdown as a violation of international standards on the use of force, which require police to act with restraint and avoid indiscriminate measures. The organization noted that isolated acts of violence by individuals do not justify treating entire protests as unlawful.
The human rights group said more than 1,100 people have been detained since demonstrations began March 19 over the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Protests have since spread across the country.
Authorities have extended blanket protest bans in at least three cities. Amnesty emphasized that such restrictions violate international human rights standards, which require the use of force by police to be proportionate and strictly controlled.
The group also condemned the detention of at least ten journalists in early morning raids on March 24 and the throttling of internet bandwidth, which lasted 42 hours and restricted access to social media and news websites. More than 700 accounts belonging to journalists, activists and opposition figures were blocked on X.
“The throttling of the internet is a blatant assault on the right to freedom of expression,” Callamard said, urging social media platforms to restore the suspended accounts.
İmamoğlu and two İstanbul district mayors were among more than 100 people targeted by detention orders issued by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor on March 19. He has been remanded to pretrial detention on charges including bribery, embezzlement and unlawful acquisition of personal data.
Amnesty International called for the immediate release of all individuals detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
