News Center- Amnesty International released a public statement on December 26, expressing concern about the crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Türkiye following the reports of a drone strike attack resulting in the killing of Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan, two Kurdish journalists from Türkiye in north-east Syria on December 19.

“Since the killings, protests have been banned, participants detained and criminal investigations launched against those who have expressed their opinions in statements and on social media. On 20 December, law enforcement officials prevented protesters from gathering and at least 55 people, including 10 journalists, were detained in the eastern province but later released the same day. On 21 December, riot police detained 59 people during protests in Istanbul, of whom nine people including seven journalists were remanded in pre-trial detention,” the statement said.

Mentioning the criminal investigations launched against the Istanbul Bar Association and other groups and individuals because of their statements and social media posts calling for an investigation into the reported killings and the release of the detained individuals, Amnesty International said, “The crackdown against lawyers, journalists and protesters amounts to a misuse of the criminal justice system to intimidate, harass and silence peaceful dissent and as such, is in violation of Türkiye's obligations under international human rights law.”

‘Turkish authorities must immediately release all those detained’

Calling on the Turkish authorities to immediately release all those detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights, the statement said, “Authorities must promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate the allegations of human rights violations and other actions of the law enforcement officials on journalists and other protesters and bring to justice in fair trials those suspected to be responsible, as well as ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims.

“The authorities must uphold the human rights of everyone in the country including by immediately ending the arbitrary detention and prosecution of journalists and others solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Authorities must stop weaponizing the criminal justice system against the Istanbul Bar Association and others simply for exercising their rights and discharging their professional duties and immediately drop the ongoing criminal investigations launched against them.”

Arbitrary detentions

On 21 December at around 1.30pm, hundreds of riot police prevented journalists and others from reading out a press statement in Istanbul, based on the Beyoğlu district governor’s banning decision of the protest, which was not shown to the protestors but later obtained by Amnesty International observers following their request to see it from the law enforcement officials, according to the statement.

“Amnesty International observers present saw around 100 law enforcement officers in riot gear surrounding a dozen people gathered for the protest before they could begin their press statement, while dozens of other officers were stationed around the Şişhane square.4 Police made three loudspeaker announcements in quick successions, stating the gathering was banned by the district governorate and that they would intervene if the group didn’t disperse, while containing them. However, the police did not allow the group to disperse, or any individuals to leave the containment.”