Turkish Protesters Present List of Demands
Published at
ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images(ANKARA, Turkey) — As the situation in Turkey becomes even more chaotic, protesters presented a list of demands on Wednesday that they said would help end nearly a week of demonstrations that threaten the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
However, since the spontaneous movement spurred by heavy-handed police tactics last Friday has no clear leaders, there’s no telling how things will develop over the course of the next day or so.
What began as a small protest over the redevelopment of a park in Istanbul has blown up into full-fledged grievances against Erdogan and what activists say are his efforts to roll back civil rights.
Among other things, demonstrators oppose tighter restrictions on alcohol sales in the secular Muslim country and the prime minister’s suggestion that Turkish women have three children.
In response to the protests, riot police have used tear gas and water cannons, often on bystanders. There have been several reported deaths, more than 1,000 injuries and over 3,000 people detained.
The Ankara-based Human Rights Association is now saying that the massive protests that have swept over Turkey can end if the government calls off the redevelopment of Taksim Square in Istanbul as well as stops using tear gas, releases prisoners and ends restrictions on free speech and assembly. The group also wants the government to punish officials who ordered the attacks on demonstrators.
Although Erdogan seems unwilling to relent, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc apologized Wednesday for what he said was a “wrong and unjust” crackdown on last Friday’s sit-in. The prime minister, who is abroad, returns Thursday.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio