Amnesty International has urged Turkish authorities to revoke the ongoing ban on May Day demonstrations at Istanbul’s Taksim Square, emphasizing that the restrictions are unfounded and in direct conflict with a 2023 ruling by Türkiye’s Constitutional Court. The organization’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe, Dinushika Dissanayake, underscored that the ban on gatherings was imposed under dubious security and public order justifications and called for its immediate repeal. Dissanayake asserted that the Turkish government bears the responsibility to safeguard the right to peaceful assembly and ensure that participants’ rights are respected.
The Governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül, maintains that security concerns justify the ban, further evidenced by the preemptive detention of numerous activists in anticipation of protests. This position contrasts sharply with precedents set by judicial bodies. In December 2023, the Constitutional Court of Türkiye ruled that the rights of protestors had been infringed upon during previous May Day celebrations in 2014 and 2015, citing a violation of Article 34 of the Turkish Constitution, which protects the right to public assembly and demonstration marches.
Similarly, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) had found Türkiye in violation of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of assembly. This verdict and the Constitutional Court’s decision are binding, yet enforcement remains a point of contention. Amnesty International advocates compliance with these judgments to uphold fundamental human rights.
Taksim Square holds significant symbolic value for workers’ movements in Türkiye. However, the area has faced extensive restrictions since 2013, following policing measures against trade unionist gatherings. The climate of unrest further intensified with the controversial arrest of Istanbul’s mayor and opposition figure, Ekrem İmamoğlu, leading to widespread protests and heavy-handed government crackdowns, predominantly targeting students, journalists, and legal professionals. Human Rights Watch has criticized the trials of these groups as hurried and lacking substantial evidence, highlighting the ongoing challenges to assembly rights in Türkiye.
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