The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) has released a fact sheet on declared curfews between August 16, 2015 and April 20, 2016 and civilians who lost their lives.

Accordingly, there has been 65 officially confirmed, open-ended and round-the-clock [all daylong] curfews in at least 22 districts of 7 cities in Southeastern Turkey between the dates August 16, 2015 and April 20, 2016. These cities are; Diyarbakır (35 times), Şırnak (10 times) and Mardin (11 times), Hakkâri (5 times), Muş (1 time), Elazığ (1 time) and Batman (2 times).

It is estimated that, according to the 2014 population census, at least 1 million 642 thousand residents have been affected by these curfews and fundamental rights of these people such as Right to Life and Right to Health are explicitly violated. According to the statement of Ministry of Health on February 27, 2016, at least 355 thousand residents were forced to leave the cities and districts they lived in.

According to the data of HRFT Documentation Center, since August 16, 2015 (which is the date of first declared curfew) until April 20, 2016 at least 338 civilians lost their lives in regions and periods of time that curfews were officially declared. 78 are children, 69 are female and 30 are over the age 60 within these people.

It is estimated that at least 76 civilians, whose information on how they died is obtained, lost their lives due to not being allowed to reach Right to Health. Again at least 200 civilians, whose information on how they died is obtained, lost their lives while they were within the boundaries of their homes/indoor areas. 182 of these people were killed due to opened fire or hitting by a missile and 18 of them lost their lives due to the direct stress effect of curfews on their health conditions. Moreover, 147 of these people who lost their lives within the boundaries of their homes/indoor areas were only in Cizre District.

Furthermore, a subject of great concern, especially in relation to children is the possible presence of conflict waste and land mines in the neighbourhoods and districts where the conflict took place. On March 31, 2016, the day operations ended and a curfew was launched overnight in Cizre district two children at the ages of 4 and 6 and on April 13, 2016 in the İdil district a 4 -year-old boy lost their lives due to the explosion of dud they were playing with which they found on the streets. Unfortunately, there is no information available as of yet on whether preventive, protective and informative measures are to be taken or any action programmed to be instigated on the issue.

There are at least 78 bodies in Cizre and at least 15 bodies in İdil that are buried without waiting for the identification process. Detailed explanation has been made on the situation of these bodies by previous HRFT Documentation Center Fact Sheet dated March 18,2016.

In Silopi district of Şırnak, a 7 months old still birth occurred due to gunshot through the womb of the mother. Also, at least 11 people lost their lives by arbitrary shooting of security forces during peaceful protests against the curfews in streets/Squares close to curfew zones or by the use of chemicals such as tear gas where no operation was ongoing or any curfews were declared.

As of April 20, 2016, districts where curfews are ongoing:

DİYARBAKIR – Sur: The curfew, which is declared on December 11, 2015 is still ongoing on its 141th day (almost 5 months). On March 9, 2016, it has been declared that the military operations are completed, yet the curfew is only lifted partially in some neighbourhoods and streets by the statements of Sur district governorship on 13th and 16th of March.

ŞIRNAK – Center: The district-wide curfew, which is declared on March 14, 2016 at 11pm is still ongoing on its 37th day.

ŞIRNAK – Silopi: The district-wide curfew, which is declared on April 5, 2016 at 4:30am is still ongoing on its 15th day.

MARDİN – Nusaybin: The district-wide curfew, which is declared on March 13, 2016 at 12am is still ongoing on its 38th day.

HAKKÂRİ – Yüksekova: The district-wide curfew, which is declared on March 13, 2016 at 10pm is still ongoing on its 38th day.

Also, overnight curfews between 9:30pm and 4:30am are launched in Cizre and İdil districts.

Source: Firat News Agency