Twenty-nine Croatian civil organisations rallied in front of the Turkish Embassy in Zagreb on Wednesday to protest against police brutality against activists who six days ago launched a drive to prevent a park in Taksim Square in downtown Istanbul from being turned into a shopping mall.
The associations expressed solidarity with the Turkish activists in their struggle for a democratic Turkey.
The protest to save Dezi Park has turned into mass demonstrations against the ten-year rule of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party. The demonstrations against any exclusion of citizens from decision-making have spread to Ankara, Izmir and other cities, according to the demonstrators.
About 20 representatives of Croatian nongovernmental organisations, who rallied under the motto "One world, one struggle - Croatia in solidarity with Turkish citizens," said repression in Turkey was increasingly strong and that it showed no signs of stopping.
The 29 organisations tried to hand in a letter of support for the Turkish activists but were told at the Turkish Embassy to post it.
In the letter, they say repression in Turkey "has become alarming" and that the Erdogan Cabinet "has declared open war against its citizens." They urge the Croatian government to take a position on "Erdogan's undemocratic government" and contribute to ending the violence and repression in Turkey as well as to "the international support for the struggle of the Turkish people."
Two demonstrators have been killed in the riots that broke out in Turkey six days ago. According to human rights organisations, more than 1,500 people in Istanbul and at least 700 in Ankara have been injured in clashes with police. The authorities claim 64 demonstrators and 244 police have been injured.
