Tweet
OPEN LETTER TO ERDOGAN
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/727251/open-letter-to-erdo%C4%9Fan.html
12:09, 25 July, 2013
YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: The popular British The Times Periodical
published the open letter of 30 famous figures addressed to the Prime
Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdošan connected with the Gezi Park
policy. As reported by Armenpress, this was published by the Turkish
CNN Turk. The letter says in particular:
"Dear Mr. Erdogan,
We, the undersigned, write this letter to most vigorously condemn
the heavy-handed clamp down of your police forces on the peaceful
protestors at Taksim Square and Gezi Park in Istanbul, as well as in
other major cities of Turkey, which, according to the Turkish Media
Association, has left 5 people dead, 11 blinded-due to indiscriminate
use of pepper gas, and over 8000 injured.
Yet, only days after clearing Taksim Square and Gezi Park relying on
untold brutal force, you held a meeting in Istanbul, reminiscent of
the Nuremberg Rally, with total disregard for the five dead whose only
crime was to oppose your dictatorial rules. There are more journalist
languishing in your prisons than the combined number of China and
Iran. Moreover, you described these protestors as tramps, looters and
hooligans, even alleging they were foreign-led terrorists. Whereas,
in reality, they were nothing but youngsters wanting Turkey to Remain
a Secular Republic as designed by its founder Kemal Ataturk.
Finally, while you aspire to make your country a member of EU, you
refute all criticism leveled at you by its leaders, on grounds of
Turkey being a Sovereign State. Notwithstanding, may we respectfully
remind you, on grounds of the Convention signed on 9 August 1949,
Turkey is a member of Council of Europe, and by virtue of ratifying
the Europe Court of Human Rights. Consequently, your orders which
led to deaths of five innocent youths, might well constitute a Case
to Answer, in Strasbourg".
The disorders in Turkey began when on May 28 2013 the plans of
replacing Taksim Gezi Park with a reconstruction of the historic
Taksim Military Barracks (demolished in 1940) with the possibility
of housing a shopping mall became known. The protests developed into
riots when a group occupying the park was attacked by police.
The subjects of the protests have since broadened beyond the
development of Taksim Gezi Park, developing into wider anti-government
demonstrations.
The protests have also spread to other cities in Turkey, and
protests have been seen in other countries with significant Turkish
communities. On May 31 2013, police suppressed the protesters with
tear gas, arrested at least 60 people and injured hundreds. The police
action received wide attention online. 5 men died in the clashes
between the police and the protesters, more than 7,500 people were
injured and about 5,000 of people were arrested. By the data provided
by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey, about 2,5 million people
from 79 regions took part in the anti-government demonstrations held
in Turkey.
From: Baghdasarian
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/727251/open-letter-to-erdo%C4%9Fan.html
12:09, 25 July, 2013
YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: The popular British The Times Periodical
published the open letter of 30 famous figures addressed to the Prime
Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdošan connected with the Gezi Park
policy. As reported by Armenpress, this was published by the Turkish
CNN Turk. The letter says in particular:
"Dear Mr. Erdogan,
We, the undersigned, write this letter to most vigorously condemn
the heavy-handed clamp down of your police forces on the peaceful
protestors at Taksim Square and Gezi Park in Istanbul, as well as in
other major cities of Turkey, which, according to the Turkish Media
Association, has left 5 people dead, 11 blinded-due to indiscriminate
use of pepper gas, and over 8000 injured.
Yet, only days after clearing Taksim Square and Gezi Park relying on
untold brutal force, you held a meeting in Istanbul, reminiscent of
the Nuremberg Rally, with total disregard for the five dead whose only
crime was to oppose your dictatorial rules. There are more journalist
languishing in your prisons than the combined number of China and
Iran. Moreover, you described these protestors as tramps, looters and
hooligans, even alleging they were foreign-led terrorists. Whereas,
in reality, they were nothing but youngsters wanting Turkey to Remain
a Secular Republic as designed by its founder Kemal Ataturk.
Finally, while you aspire to make your country a member of EU, you
refute all criticism leveled at you by its leaders, on grounds of
Turkey being a Sovereign State. Notwithstanding, may we respectfully
remind you, on grounds of the Convention signed on 9 August 1949,
Turkey is a member of Council of Europe, and by virtue of ratifying
the Europe Court of Human Rights. Consequently, your orders which
led to deaths of five innocent youths, might well constitute a Case
to Answer, in Strasbourg".
The disorders in Turkey began when on May 28 2013 the plans of
replacing Taksim Gezi Park with a reconstruction of the historic
Taksim Military Barracks (demolished in 1940) with the possibility
of housing a shopping mall became known. The protests developed into
riots when a group occupying the park was attacked by police.
The subjects of the protests have since broadened beyond the
development of Taksim Gezi Park, developing into wider anti-government
demonstrations.
The protests have also spread to other cities in Turkey, and
protests have been seen in other countries with significant Turkish
communities. On May 31 2013, police suppressed the protesters with
tear gas, arrested at least 60 people and injured hundreds. The police
action received wide attention online. 5 men died in the clashes
between the police and the protesters, more than 7,500 people were
injured and about 5,000 of people were arrested. By the data provided
by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey, about 2,5 million people
from 79 regions took part in the anti-government demonstrations held
in Turkey.
From: Baghdasarian