Israel Matzav

Erdogan's white phosphorus moment?

An Italian web site is reporting that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's security forces added a chemical agent called Jenix to the water canons that they have been using against protesters in Istanbul's Taksim Square and Gerzi Park?

This story does not yet appear on the parallel English web site (which is called Ansa), but here are the key words in Italian (emphasis added  by the person who sent this to me):

Un attacco feroce, che ha fatto 800 feriti, fra cui bambini colpiti da proiettili di gomma, decine di persone 'bruciate' dagli agenti urticanti messi dalla polizia nell'acqua degli idranti - come denunciato dalle foto degli attivisti nelle quali si vedono chiaramente i poliziotti caricare la sostanza 'Jenix' nei blindati - o soffocate dalle nuvole di gas lacrimogeni. Mentre le forze antisommossa arrestavano i medici che avevano curato i manifestanti feriti,

And the translation:

His anti-riot police are reported to have added a chemical agent Jenix to the water of their water cannons. "Photos taken by activists show clearly the policemen loading the substance Jenix into the armored cars." . . . . "Meanwhile the anti-riot forces were arresting the physicians who were treating the wounded demonstrators." 

And in case you're wondering what Jenix is, it's a kind of pepper spray.

It is no way illegal to carry and use this product for defense purposes.

It is included in class of non-lethal chemical weapons. Its use is legally accepted in relation with Regulation No. 5188 for implementation of Private Security Services. In Article 24 of Part 4 titled Authorization of Keeping and Bearing Arm of concerning regulation, following statement is included: "Physical measures and security devices are of high priority for ensuring protection and security. The Commission may permit use of chemicals without permanent effect animates in accordance with principle of proportionality."

Definitions and images pertaining to the product you purchased are one-to-one representation. We would like to inform you that all our products have passed operation tests. You will be accurately first to open original package of the product.

And yes, that link is to a Turkish statute.

But the site notes that it is dangerous if used in a closed space, and we already saw that Turkish police were firing tear gas into a hotel lobby. Were they firing pepper spray too? 

Hmmm.

Labels: Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey, Turkish spring

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:33 AM