February 18, 2006
The Press release planned by the TAYAD, the Association of Families and Friends of the Arrested and the Imprisoned, in Istanbul was attacked brutally by the Turkish Police. The police used gas and plastic bullets to disperse a peaceful crowd trying to hold a press release in the most central square of Taksim in Istanbul.

On February 18th, the members of the Families and Friends of the Arrested and the Imprisoned, TAYAD, gathered at Taksim square around 3:00PM to read a press release against the isolation procedures inside the prisons in Turkey. When they had barely started to read the press statement, the police, without any warning, started shooting plastic bullets, throwing gas bombs to the families and started beating the family members with their batons. As a result of the attack, a large number of people were injured and one person was arrested.

The previous day, the members of TAYAD had announced they would hold the press release and distribute the newly published book, ‘Tecrit’, ‘Isolation’. Today, at the announced time the TAYAD members gathered at the square with their distinctive aprons reading, “Abolish Isolation, Stop the Killings” and attempted to distribute the book ‘Isolation’ that details the ongoing protest fasts of the last 6 years in prisons of Turkey. As soon as the reading of the statement started, out of nowhere, the police force known as the “Agile Forces” started their attack against the families using the gas bombs. The families, practicing their right to defend themselves against this surprise attack, replied by hurling rocks towards the cops. The fights between the family members and the cops were spread to several city blocks to Tepebaşı. After the attack, the families of the arrested gathered in front of the Galatasaray Lisesi, the high school in the district and showed their reaction to the police attack.

Source: Halkın Sesi

M.B.