EU human rights body urges Turkey to allow access to Cizre
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Version 0 of 1. Europe’s top human rights body has called on Turkey to allow independent observers into a mainly Kurdish town where a 24-hour curfew has been imposed since 4 September as security forces battle suspected militants. Nils Muižnieks, human rights commissioner for the Council of Europe, expressed concern over claims of “disproportionate use of force” against civilians in Cizre, near the Syrian border. Turkey’s interior minister, Selami Altınok, said seven suspected Kurdish rebels and one civilian have died in clashes in Cizre. A pro-Kurdish opposition party said 21 civilians have died. “I have … received serious allegations of disproportionate use of force by security forces against civilians,” said Muižnieks in a written statement. “I urge the authorities to ensure immediate access to Cizre by independent observers ... in order to dispel the rumours of human rights violations.” The town is also under a virtual news blackout and activists say the curfew has severely disrupted life in the town of 100,000 inhabitants, with complaints of shortages of food and medicines. Authorities this week barred a delegation of pro-Kurdish party officials from entering Cizre. Deputy prime minister, Cevdet Yılmaz, said the delegation was being prevented from entering for its own safety. |