The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) has revealed that 104 people have been detained and taken into custody during forced evictions in a Kurdish neighbourhood in Istanbul on Thursday.
“104 people were taken into custody by police after being attacked with pepper gas and rubber bullets because they opposed the demolition in İmrahor District,” the ÖHD said. They added that some were seriously injured and were kept in a detention vehicle all day as their mistreatment continued.
The lawyers stated that their clients had been detained unlawfully, and subjected to torture.
The İmrahor neighbourhood is in the Arnavutköy District of Istanbul, on the city’s European side. Early on Thursday morning, police and heavy construction equipment moved in to demolish the ‘Gecekondu’ – so-called ‘slums’ or temporary housing. The city council had ordered the demolition, but the administrative court had later ruled that order unlawful. At least 50 have already been demolished, according to Mezopotamya Agency.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) had promised to legalise the houses during the local elections earlier this year. But this promise has not been fulfilled.
Atilla Salman, one of the residents of the neighbourhood, stated that 800 houses in general are planned to be demolished in Arnavutköy. Many of the residents have stated that Mayor Mustafa Candaroğlu had promised the buildings built before the election would not be demolished.
“The Mayor of Arnavutköy is oppressing the people here. Hundreds of people were injured and detained,” Salman said, adding, “We are calling out to non-governmental organisations, let them come and see the state of this place.”
