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Turkish unions have called on Prime Minister Erdogan to end the police crackdown which continues to escalate. More than 5000 demonstrators have been injured and at least 5 killed, the victims of police brutality including rubber bullets and tear-gas.



During the continued state repression of the demonstrations against the policies of the government a prominent and respected trade union activist has become one of the victims: beaten and arrested whilst carrying out his duties as a television journalist. The whole incident has been captured on video and can be watched on the link below. Please read the statement from his colleagues. Gokhan is an activist and leader in the Turkish union TAREM



"On 16 June 2013 Sunday, around 18:00, our editor Gökhan Biçici was captured, beaten and dragged along the street for minutes by riot squad police where he was on duty to film and report the demonstrations in Şişli. He suffered an eyebrow cut, his gas mask was broken, his iPad was confiscated and he was kept waiting, injured and handcuffed, for four hours by police who told him he had been detained but refused to tell him where he would be taken, and failed to carry out any official procedure. As of 23:30, our friend is being held inside a police vehicle in front of the Taksim Atatürk Cultural Centre, and has been told he will be taken to the Istanbul Police Directorate. We strictly condemn the abusive treatment of Gökhan Biçici, and demand that he is immediately released, that those who are responsible, who are clearly documented in various photographic and video recordings on social media, are immediately revealed and brought to trial." 



İMC TELEVISION



Follow link to film here