TaksimGezi Park Exposed 31 May to 16 June 2013
Protests that began as a demonstration against the controversially planned demolition of the park have grown into general anti-government dissent across the nation.We invite the entire world to demonstrate their reaction to terminate the police violence carried out by the direct order of the government, and to support our people. In this regard, we have prepared a report to clarify our 1
requests, displaying the incidents that have been occurring in Turkey from the beginning up to the present in detail.
The Beginning of the Gezi Park Protests
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Following plans by the government to implement a renewal project in Takim Square’s ‘Gezi Park’ (a 70 year old public park) that aims to replace the park with a shopping centre, members of the TaksimGezi Park association began to sleep in Gezi Park in order to prevent the destruction of the trees and sustain the park, which is the last bit of greenery that remains in the centre of Istanbul. The protest by the association was peaceful they were simply reading books in the park, hosting picnics and sleeping in tents. Having the right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of a democratic society. However the Turkish Prime Minister who is trying to slowly implement a dictatorship is against the freedom of speech and respectively the right of having a peaceful protest. From 2007 onwards there have been over 700 individuals consisting of members of parliament, the chairman’s of aid organisations, owners of television networks and army officials because of their opinions not always matching those of RecepTayipErdogan the Prime Minister of Turkey. There are many international treaties, such as the ‘European Convention on Human Rights’ of 1950 in particular articles 9 to 11 which elevate the importance to a freedom of speech, assembly and association respectively. If this 3
is a fundamental human right why did the Turkish police force abuse their power and use tear gas as well as water cannons against those peacefully protesting in the park to prevent the destruction of the park? The national media in Turkey has been reluctant in exposing the violence of Erdogan. Therefore, people have resorted to Twitter in order to help those being attacked and expose the corruption taking place. This document will reveal the police violence that has taken place not only in Taksim Square but also throughout Turkey in order to gain your support. Civilians within Turkey are desperate for international support and their human rights, which you may be able to provide through European Laws. Furthermore, Erdogan through his politics is destroying secularism and replacing it with a totally Islamic society forcing it upon those who don’t agree. Allegations have also surfaced of those taken into custody following the protests or even before are being tortured. I kindly ask for a European investigation on Erdogan for crimes against humanity as well as the Turkish police for their handling of the demonstrations.
The Health Status of the Demonstrators; Evidence from the Turkish Medical Association Please refer tohttp://www.ttb.org.tr/index.php/Haberler/veriler-3842.html According to the data the Turkish Medical Association has coveredas of the date of 14th June, 6pm, thereby excluding the data of the day, 15 th June on which the number of both dead and injured people has been anticipated to dramatically increase, since it has not yet been confirmed: • It is reported that they are injuries in 13 cities. • 7478 people in total applied for injuries to public hospitals, private hospitals and medical centers and to clinics build up in areas where the clashes happen. The content of the injuries consists of skin-deep inflammation and respiration disorders due to tear gas, epilepsy attacs, musculoskeletal system injuries (soft tissue injuries, cuts, burns, from simple fractures to serious open/close fractures causing sequellae) related with close quarter shots of tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and assault, head traumas, eye problems concluding to sight losses originating from rubber bullet use and intra-abdominal organ injuries. 4
• 4 persons are dead. • 55 people have severe injuries. • 91 persons have had head trauma • 1 person in Ankara, 3 in Istanbul, 1 in Eskişehir, in total 4 people with severe injuries are in life-threatening conditions. • 10 persons have lost their eye. • 1 person’s spleen is removed. In Ankara Kızılay a dustman working in a private teaching institute lost his life after a heart attack on June 5th Wednesday night. Investigation continues about this case which is thought to be related with being subject to heavy gas exposure in that area where he was working. As there were injured people and physicians inside on June 2nd, 2013 night in the voluntary clinic built up in Ankara MülkiyelilerBirliği (an alumni community), there has been an intervention with tear gas to the clinic. In the events which occurred on May 31st, one member of TTB (Turkish Medical Association) Central Council and Ankara Medical Chamber administrator is also injured. In detail, as of the date of 14th June, 6 pm, Istanbul; total number of injured visitors = 4345. There are a further 191 people facing an extremely high risk of dying due to the injuries obtained. 1 person confirmed dead. Ankara; total number of injured visitors = 1328. There are a further 19 people facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained. 1 person confirmed dead. Izmir; total number of injured visitors = 800. There are a further 2 people facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained Antakya; total number of injured visitors =161. There are a further 3 people facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained. 1 person confirmed dead Adana; total number of injured visitors = 152. There are a further 6 people facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained. 1 person confirmed dead. Eskisehir; total number of injured visitors = 300. There are a further 3 people who are carrying an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained.
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Mugla; total number of injured visitors = 50. There is 1 person facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained. Mersin; total number of injured visitors = 17. There is 1 person facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained. Balikesir; total number of injured visitors = 155. Antalya; total number of injured visitors = 150. There is 1 person facing an extremely high risk of death due to the injuries obtained. There are other cities such as Bursa, Kocaeli and Rize where police violence has also harmed civilians. All obtained injuries are the consequences of the Turkish police force abusing their authority.
Evidence of the Crimes Against Humanity
Turkish Police are using pepper spray, CS gas and powerful water cannons to try to ward off the peaceful protesters.
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It’s a breach of human rights to attack innocent civilians with gas when they are using their democratic rights to peacefully protest. The pictures clearly show the innocence of the civilians and that they were causing no harm, they are unarmed and dressed in normal clothing.
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Attacking children as well as the elderly, in other words attacking the future and the dependent.
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The following explicit images have been caused from the violence of the police.
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Five blinded protestors.
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These are not images from a war torn country, these are the images taken after the excessive force used by the Turkish police under the Prime Minister Erdogan.
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"The use of tear gas against peaceful protesters and in confined spaces where it may constitute a serious danger to health is unacceptable, breaches international human rights standards and must be stopped immediately," – John Dalhuisen. Director of Europe and Central Asia Programme at Amnesty International in a statement on May 31st. Not only using gas against innocent protestors but using gas that has expired.Translated to: Date of production = 2006. Use by date = 2011.Used in 2013.
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Police violence not only against children or the elderly but also in particular against women who aren’t able to defend themselves.
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A Turkish artist Mehmet Guleryuz who is internationally recognised has also fallen victim to Erdogan and his police force.
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A journalist named AhmetSik who was attacked whilst trying to film the events taking place in Taksim, the police were clearly trying to prevent him from exposing the corruption of their force and the crooked orders from the Prime Minister Erdogan.
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Medics carry YasinAyhan, 23, a protester who broke his leg in a raid early Monday, June 10, in Kugulu Park. Riot police doused thousands of protesters in Ankara with tear gas and jets of water for a second straight night.
A demonstrator is detained by police officers as protests resumed in Kizilay Square in Ankara on Sunday, June 9.
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A woman is wheeled away by paramedics during clashes on Kizilay Square in Ankara on Wednesday, June 5.
Police have used tear gas, or pepper spray, at some demonstrations. An image of a woman suffering effects of the gas.
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Rest In Peace Abdullah Comert
‘‘In the past 3 days I have only slept for 5 hours. I have inhaled countless amounts of pepper spray and managed to just about avoid death 3 times. Regardless I will be awake again at 06:00am for revolution.’’ This was his last tweet. Rest In Peace Mehmet Ayvalitas
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Rest In Peace EthemSarisuluk
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Brain death of 26-year-old EthemSarısülük, the worker who has been shot in the head by the police with a real bullet on June 1sthas occurred. Sarısülük’s family, attorneys, and struggle companions have rushed into the hospital. On June 1st, tens of thousands of people had won the Kızılay Square by persevering in the resistance in Ankara against the fascism of AKP, and a worker named EthemSarısülük had been shot in the head during the clashes as a result of the police’s using real bullet. Doctors of Ankara Numune Hospital had declared the brain death of Sarısülük at midday. EthemSarısülük’s brother Mustafa Sarısülük, who has been the first to take the floor in the press release has stated that his brother could not be saved according to the information given by the doctors. Sarısülük said, “He is still connected to the life support unit. When this is over, the legal medicine process will start.The moment of shooting is apparent; the murderer is nowhere to be found’. A press statement has been issued in the garden of Numune Hospital. Attorney KazımBayraktar, who spoke at the statement, has stated that the policeman, whose moment of shooting Sarısülük with a real bullet has been recorded, and who went to the protesters instead of moving away and reached for his gun has still not been turned to prosecution. Bayraktar, who has stated that the images which have come up, the records from the mobile electronic system integration (Mobese), police records and eye witnesses all evince the same thing, has underlined that policemen are handed in their guns with a debit entry and that the gun and bullet used in the incident can be easily detected.Bayraktar has stressed that with Progressive Lawyers Association, they will file a criminal complaint against those who don’t give any information about the policeman and protect the murderers since 11 days despite the demand of the prosecutor, Ankara Security Directorate and Ankara Governorship being in the first place. On 11th June 2013, the fourteenth day, the police brutality has reached its peak:
People flee as riot police fire tear gas on Taksim Square on June 11. 21
Hundreds of police and Toma s, water cannon vehicles, marched into Taksim. There has been a peaceful environment for 10 days there. At 7:30 on 7 th of June, while people were still sleeping in their tents or having breakfast, the police attacked with gas bombs. Subsequently, a group of around 30 provocators who are not activists, not among the people who resist, started attacking the police with molotov cocktails, petrol bombs. Curiously enough, the Toma s, which are able to push away and separate hundreds of people within seconds as seen numerous times in the two weeks, could not get rid of this group of provocators for over an hour. In fact, the police did not make an effort to extinguish the fires, despite all water cannons being equipped with fire suppression systems. Water cannons that have been used relentlessly since the protests began were seen shooting water with low pressure and not aiming it at the attackers and despite thousands of police storming the square, the attackers were also not caught.Moreover, the mainstream media who ignored the news for weeks just happened to be there broadcasting live from the same location, thereby suggesting that it was all a planned game to be played in front of the international media. The people resisting havebeen totally peaceful and they have not thrown molotov cocktails or even stones so far. Observers noted that the protest movement opposes violence and that those throwing the petrol bombs resembled policemen.Accordingly, that was an entire set up. After the 22
failure of this inept play of provocation staged by the police, the troops then heavily attacked the square with pepper and tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets removing the barricades and graffiti with bulldozers to prevent activists from entering the area, moving in from side alleys, and taking several people into custody, which resulted in that a vast majority of protestors have been seriously wounded including many life-threatening head traumas.
Riot police fire tear gas canisters at protesters in Taksim Square on June 11.
People run from a tear gas cloud in Taksim Square on June 11.
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Protesters run behind a barricade during clashes with police on June 11.
Protesters seek shelter behind a barricade on June 11. 24
Protesters try to run from riot police on June 11.
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Riot police aim a water cannon at a protester as others take cover behind a makeshift shelter in Taksim Square on June 11.
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Riot police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse a crowd near Istanbul's Taksim Square on June 11.
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Riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators in Taksim Square on June 11.
Police fire a water cannon at protesters on June 11.
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Protesters run from smoke as they clash with police in Istanbul on June 11.
A protestor shot in her head through a rubber bullet by the police.
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Use of the excessive force even on a handicapped protestor. 30
A great number of people were treated in hospital, including one man with a brain injury, after police used teargas and water cannon to regain control of Taksim Square from anti-government protesters. Earlier the governor of Istanbul had pledged that police would not enter Gezi Park. The prime minister hailed the move, which he described as tearing down“rags”, stating that he has ‘no more tolerance’ of the protests, which have been continuing for nearly two weeks. He claimed that 95 per cent of the people in Taksim Square were not even aware of the location of the Gezi Park before
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the protest started, and also lashed out at social media over what he called the spreading of lies. The detainment of the lawyers at the courthouse by inappropriate force, and further without obtaining permission from the authorised prosecutor.
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The press meeting had been broadcasted live on the official website of Istanbul Bar Association. Indicating that police forces is making unlawful and illegal interventions, without taking the decision by the Preservation Board into consideration, against the citizens who are exercising their constitutional and legitimate right to protest in the face of an attempt to destruct the one of the few remaining green in Istanbul as part of the project to be implemented in TaksimGezi Park. It had been highlighted that it would be misleading to explain these demonstrations merely as the actions taken in order to protect TaksimGezi Park, stating “The actual reaction of the people is against the impositions on what to drink, what to eat, how many children to have, what newspaper to buy, what series or TV channels to watch, and the restrictions and interventions on their life style by concealing the main purpose.” It had also been underlain that the measures to be taken by the police forces in times of social events have been regulated under Article 16 of the Code no. 2559 on Powers and Duties of the Police and indicated that the use of pepper sprays, in violation of the relevant code, is regarded as “inhuman or degrading treatment” as defined under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and likewise, European Court of Human Rights. 33
Turkish riot police have taken several dozen lawyers into custody as they joined the ongoing protests gathering to make theabove mentioned statements, regarding police brutality. The arrests in Istanbul come as police launched a crackdown on protesters in the city’s Taksim Square. The lawyers were seized at the Caglayan Courthouse, the main court, on 7th June by troops of the special forces unit, reported Hürriyet Daily News. It has been reported that at least 50 people have been arrested, yet putting the number as high as 70. Witnesses said the police were acting harshly in overpowering the lawyers. Some described the entire operation as a blatant attack by the police troops. Lawyer FatmaElif Koru described the ‘brutal’ arrest of 49 of her colleagues as they presented a press statement at Istanbul's Çağlayan court. She told a Guardian reporter: "We were just gathering to make a press statement about Gezi Park and then the police attacked. It was very brutal. Now 49 lawyer friends are in custody and many are injured. They even kicked their heads, the lawyers were on the ground. They were hitting us they were pushing. They built a circle around us and then they attacked.”
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A statement expressing concern with respect to the arrests of a further 50 lawyers at Caglayan Court in Istanbul has been issued by the international human rights arm of the Bar of England and Wales, which has remarked the deploration due to the arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights defenders which is currently taking place in the context of the violent repression of peaceful anti-government protests across Turkey.
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Sustained clashes between Turkish riot police and protesters.
Thousands of police continued to fire at protesters. Thousands of demonstrators were meanwhile in Gezi Park, according to the BBC's irrepressible Jeremy Bowen, who is reporting for BBC Newsnight while wiping the tear gas from his eyes. Reuters reported that the police fired volleys of tear gas canisters into a crowd of thousands - people in office clothes as well as youths in masks who had fought skirmishes throughout the day - scattering them into narrow side streets and nearby hotels. Heavy machinery was used by the police to clear barricades and the square was largely cleared.
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A man sleeps in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square early on June 12, hours after riot police moved into the square in an attempt to push demonstrators out.
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On 15th June, the eighteenth day, the most brutal police attack seen since the beginning occurred:
The Turkish PM RecepTayyipErdoganwarned protesters occupying Istanbul's Gezi Park to evacuate it before a rally of his ruling AK party on Sunday.""We have our Istanbul rally tomorrow. I say it clearly: Taksim Square must be evacuated, otherwise this country's security forces know how to evacuate it�, he said. Protesters have vowed to stay put, despite a promise by the PM to halt the plan until a court ruling. Mr Erdogan's comments came at an AK party rally in a suburb of the capital Ankara in front of tens of thousands of cheering supporters. He dismissed the wave of anti-government protests as part of an organised plot against him. Protesters in Gezi Park have remained defiant despite Mr Erdogan's promise to halt the redevelopment plan. Mr Erdogan's offer was presented as a major concession. But after all-night discussions in Gezi Park, the protesters said their movement was bigger than a simple conservation protest and vowed to stay in the the park. After Erdogan had warned hours earlier that security forces would clear the square, the center of more than two weeks of fierce anti-government protests that spread to cities across Turkey, unless the demonstrators withdrew, Turkish riot police stormed an Istanbul park at the heart of two weeks of protest against Prime Minister TayyipErdogan on Saturday, firing tear gas and water cannon and sending hundreds scurrying into surrounding streets. Lines of police backed by armored vehicles sealed off Taksim Square in the center of the city as officers stormed the adjoining Gezi Park, where protesters had been living in a ramshackle tent camp. Panicked protesters fled into an upmarket hotel at the back of the park, several of them vomiting, as clouds of tear gas and blasts from what witnesses said were percussion bombs - designed to create confusion rather than injure engulfed the park. "We tried to flee and the police pursued us. It was like war," Claudia Roth, the co-chair of Germany's Greens party who had gone to Gezi Park to show her support, told Reuters.Thousands of people spilled onto a main avenue leading to Taksim after the raid, ripping up street signs and starting to build barricades, while police fired tear gas into back streets around the square to try to prevent protesters regrouping.Local television footage showed groups of demonstrators blocking a main highway to Ataturk airport on the western 40
edge of the city, while to the east several hundred walked towards a main bridge crossing the Bosphorus waterway towards Taksim. Several people were brought out of the park on stretchers to waiting ambulances, while families with young children fled into side streets from a main shopping street leading to the square. Residents in surrounding neighborhoods took to their balconies or leaned out of windows banging pots and pans, their clatter rising above the wail of ambulance sirens, while car drivers sounded their horns in support of the protesters. Meanwhile, “everyone who enters Istanbul's Taksim Square, the heart of the nearly 20-day-long protests, will be considered a terrorist�, Turkey'sEuropean Union minister said in a televised interview, adding "[The police] will intervene in everybody who try to enter the Taksim Square [treating them] as a terrorist".
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Protesters run for cover as riot police spray them with a water cannon on June 15.
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Turkish riot police officers use rubber bullets on June 15 to disperse demonstrators in Gezi Park in Istanbul on June 15.
Protesters scramble for safety as Turkish riot police officers push them out of Gezi Park using tear gas and rubber bullets.
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Protestors escape from the tear gas during the crackdown at Gezi Park on June 15.
Protestors fire fireworks as police drive them out of Gezi Park on June 15.
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Riot police move in a line through the tent camp on June 15.
A protester on Saturday, June 15, reacts in pain to a salvo of tear gas fired by Turkish riot police chasing out demonstrators in order to dismantle their tent camp in Gezi Park in Istanbul.
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Doctors confirm water shot from TOMA diluted with chemicals.
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Children attacked by the riot Turkish Police.
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Russian journalist ArkadyBabchenko has been beaten and detained by Turkish police near the Taksim Square in Istanbul. At present, he is in hospital under guard.
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To conclude, reminding the fact that meetings, demonstrations and protests are among the legitimate rights of the citizens in the democratic societies, recognition of this right by the government is a requirement for a state governed by the rule of law and police forces are not granted with the right to intervene whenever they like and in a manner they would like to act and they do not have the right to resort to forceful means the intensity of which is defined by them. In this sense, this document has been put together in order to reveal what’s taking place behind the scenes in Turkey due to the peaceful uprising against the fascist politics Erdogan is trying to implement and the corruption of the police force in trying to put an end to the protests. Our people, our children in various cities of Turkey as well as in TaksimGezi Park will continue their resistance, risking their lives to protect their dignity. Urgent steps must be taken by the Turkish authorities to prevent further deaths and injuries and allow protesters access to their fundamental rights, as well as ensuring the security of all members of the public.We kindly ask for you to sympathise with our people and interfere with what’s going on in Taksim by communicating with our Prime Minister so that he can implement basic human rights and prevent more innocent civilians being killed like AbdullahComert, Mehmet Ayvalitas and EthemSarisulukto prevent our artists such asMehmet Guleryuz and our journalists such as AhmetSik from being attacked for trying to expose the truth.Furthermore, we ask for you to get involved with these events taking place in Turkey to protect our youth, elderly, men and women being attacked just because they have different opinions to Erdogan. The barbarism shown from the police force is dangerous and as seen in the images people have been blinded, bruised, simply damaged both mentally and physically. Violence against people cannot be accepted. Nobody deserves to be treated in such manner, and this is not what’s expected from a Prime Minister who claims to be a supporter of democracy. Whilst the Turkish media were showing documentaries and football highlights, there was international coverage of the events taking place in Taksim. National media could not view the events due to restrictions put into place by Erdogan.Erdogan is trying to control people and restrict their own opinions. People have no say as those who speak are imprisoned and those who peacefully protest are attacked.
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Turkish media has undercover for 18 days the anti-government protests followed all the broadcasts pro-government without the BBC and CNN would not see the world the brutality of the police in Turkey.We just ask for more coverage of the events in Taksim and the resignation of RecepTayipErdogan because of his handling of these events and the way he has directed the police force to be so brutal.Finally this document has focused on the aftermath of each day’s events to show the injuries obtained from the violent police officers under Erdogans command and there is an emphasis on Erdogan because the police force acting in this way is rare something like this could only happen under his rule. Erdogans politics have not been highlighted too much as this is a document for the British Government in order to show what’s really happened in Taksim in the hope of gaining some support to ensure RecepTayipErdogan resigns as the Prime Minister of Turkey. We demand an investigation of the government's recent abuse of power, which has led to serious injuries and the loss of innocent lives. People from all walks of Turkish society were united in calling upon Erdogan to resign. The people protesting peacefully and bravely throughout Turkey are ordinary citizens from multiple generations and represent a spectrum of ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, ideological, sexual, and gender identities. They stand united because of their huge concern for Turkey's future. What people are standing up for is true democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, the conservation of nature and the conservation of livable cities in Turkey. Only a massive outcry will pressure Erdogan to act immediately. Stand in solidarity with the millions of peaceful protestors who have been struggling for their basic democratic rights.
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