715 detained during Gezi Park protests, says Istanbul's public prosecutor

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

A total of 715 people have been detained over the course of the Gezi Park protests, Istanbul’s public prosecutor said July 23. DHA photo

A total of 715 people have been detained over the course of the Gezi Park protests, Istanbul’s public prosecutor said July 23, as Interior Minister Muammer Güler issued a warning to all security personnel with regard to the use of tear gas and violence against protesters.

The prosecutor’s statement came in the afternoon hours as a response to “the reports and comments on the media outlets that are damaging, and that have impacts on fair trials,” according to the statement, which added that the overall number of detentions added up to 715.

Of those detained, 179 were sent to court with arrest demands and 41 have been arrested, the prosecutor’s office added. Of the 41 arrested 10 were then released. Overall, 57 people have been released on probation.

According to the statement, 110 investigations have been launched into insulting publications, with the majority of offenses committed against high-level state officials.

The prosecutor’s statement accused media outlets of exaggerating the process, “claiming that detainments and arrests were against the law” and falsely accusing authorities, including the prosecutors, of protecting police officers.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Interior Minister Muammer Güler issued a warning to all police officers with regards to the Gezi protest interventions, calling on all personnel to be careful about the use of tear gas, and about individuals launching attacks on protesters.

The warning called on all personnel to not shoot tear gas canisters at groups closer than 40 meters away, and not to use devices that went against the guidelines on protesters. Güler also said that officers should not directly aim at groups or individuals when firing tear gas canisters, and ensure that a form of recording was present during intervention to provide footage later on.

Officers were also told to wear their uniform vests, and stay within the set guidelines when intervening against groups.

Police forces should also prevent outsiders from attacking protesters, using knives, machetes or bats, the statement further said.