Protests 10 Years after "Return to Life" Operation

The police intervened against protestors in Diyarbakır (south-eastern Turkey). The demonstrators commemorated the dozens of people who died in the course of the "Return to Life" operation on 19 December 2000 and to drew attentinon to the situaiton of diseased detainees and convicts. The police made use of tear gas and water cannons. Some protestors were injured.

A group of demonstrators had gathered in front of the building of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party in the Silvan district of Diyarbakır to walk to the Silvan Police Directorate. While the police intervened against the group, an explosion occurred. The cause of the explosion has not been clarified yet. Three people were wounded.

Another group met in front of the BDP Diyarbakır Provincial building and wanted to walk to the Diyarbakır E Type Prison to support their incarcerated relatives or party members. The police intervened with water cannons and tear gas. Some of the demonstrators were injured.

"We did not forget and we will not let you forget"

Members of the Democratic Peoples Federation and the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed (ESP) also protested the "Return to Life" operation on its 10^th anniversary in Beyoğlu/Istanbul.

The groups gathered on Galatasary Square and posted banners reading, "We will tear down the walls of isolation with the spirit of the resistance on 19 December", "Punish the ones who burned them alive on 19 December" and "Accept the demands for aggravated life sentences".

About 250 members of the People's Front gathered in front of the closed Bayrampaşa (Istanbul) Prison. They chanted slogans and posted a banner saying that they would not forget the operation.

Van

Members of the Human Rights Association (İHD) Branch in Van (south-eastern Anatolia) came together in front of the Van F Type Prison. İHD Van Branch President Mehmet Ali Şen called the operation "an inhumane massacre" and said, "We saw that the ones who did this massacre were rewarded instead of punished".

Ankara

Members of the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) Ankara Branch gathered in front of the Sincan Prison. They particularly drew attention to the fact that ten years passed before a trial related to the operation was opened.

Adana

About 150 people joined a torchlight procession in the south-eastern city of Adana to mark the 10^th anniversary of the operation.

Tekirdağ

About 100 members of the Aid Association for Families of Detainees travelled from Istanbul and Diyarbakır to the north-western city of Tekirdağ and protested in front of the Tekirdağ F Type Prison. They carried pictures of the prisoners who were killed in the course of the operation and shouted slogans in Turkish as well as Kurdish.

"Return to Life" operation

The "Return to Life" operation was carried out ten years ago in several prisons in order to solve the so-called "prison problem" in Turkey and end the death fast of prisoners who protested against their transfer to F type prisons. The operation started on 19 December 2000 at 4.30 am simultaneously in 20 prisons and involved thousands of convicts and ten thousands of security personnel. 32 people died in the operation, among them two soldiers. Hundreds of detainees and convicts were injured. (BT/VK)

Sources: vantvhaber, diyarbakırhaber, çorluhaberi, andanapost and milliyet websites.