The Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV) has reacted to the passing of an amendment by the Parliamentary Justice Commission.

Increase in powers

According to the foundation, the "Proposal to Change the Law on Police Duties and Authorities" would allow the police the following:

* To stop people and their cars, to ask for IDs and ask questions "in order to prevent crimes"

* To take fingerprints and photos of a person and keep this information

* To do body searches, searches of cars, private property and documents

* To use truncheons, handcuffs, pressurized water, tear gas or powder, and to use violence against physical barricades like cars

* To use guns and to fire them non-stop in self-defense

* To force people to identify others

Should this law be passed, the TIHV argues that in the name of crime prevention everyone would become a potential criminal. The foundation emphasized that formulations in the law made it dependent on the disposition of the police how far the freedom of people, associations, foundations, syndicates and similar organizations would be restricted. (TK/AG)