Türkiye: Unlawful use of force by police against protesters in March “may amount to torture”
Turkish authorities must carry out prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into alleged human rights violations committed by law enforcement officials throughout mass protests in March 2025, some of which may amount to torture, said Amnesty International in new research findings.
“I cannot breathe”: Allegations of torture and other ill-treatment during protests in March documents police violence during and in the aftermath of largely peaceful nationwide protests that erupted following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul and Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples’ Republican Party (CHP), and 91 others on 19 March 2025.
“Our findings reveal damning evidence of unlawful force frequently used by law enforcement officers against peaceful protesters in cities across Türkiye. The authorities used tear gas, pepper spray, kinetic impact projectiles and water cannons against people who were simply exercising their rights,” said Esther Major, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Research in Europe.
“The violations documented constitute cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and, in some cases, may amount to torture. These unlawful acts of violence must be investigated promptly and the perpetrators brought to justice in fair trials.”
