Human Rights Association (IHD)released a report on civilians killed by Turkish armoured vehicles in a press conference in Izmir. Speaking at the press conference, IHD’s Ahmet Cicek said that the incidents, that resulted in death of civilians by Turkish army’s or police’s armoured vehicles, must be investigated.

According to Cicek, armoured vehicles killed 23 and injured 34 in “traffic accidents” since 2016. During the same period at least six civilians were shot and killed by armoured vehicle’s personnel.

Cicek pointed out the lack of an effective investigation into the cases and said: “The right to live is sacred and it should be respected and protected under any type of administration. The cases cannot be postponed and those who are responsible must stand trial.”

Cicek voiced concerns about the immunity of the security personnel under emergency rule and said that this could lead to an increase in such incidents.

“The rate of the accidents by armoured vehicles makes us think that the drivers are not properly trained” Cicek said, and listed some of the incidents as follows:

* Mustafa Duman (17): Duman was shot and killed by armoured vehicle personnel while sitting in front of his house in Van on 30 August 2016.

* Naciye Ozdemir (71): Ozdemir was hit by a Kobra type armoured vehicle in Dersim and died on the spot on 6 September 2016.

* Aydin Tumen, Serhat Buldan, Rahmi Sefali, Nejdet İsozu were killed in Yuksekova on 8 October 2016.

* Hakan Sarak (5): An armoured vehicle hit Sarak in Cizre on 24 October 2016 and he died of blood loss.

* Berfin Dilek (7): An armoured vehicle hit and killed Dilek in Dargecit, a district of Mardin province, on 9 February 2017.

* Kerem Aslan (34): An armoured vehicle hit Aslan while driving backwards at a check point between Siirt and Batman on 4 March 2017.

* Okan Ince, Bahadır Beyazlioglu and an unidentified person were killed when an armoured vehicle crashed their car in Sirnak on 21 March 2017.

* Hatun Elhuman (55): Elhuman was killed by a Turkish armoured vehicle in Diyarbakir on 27 April 2017.

* Sami Ucan was hit and killed by a Turkish armoured vehicle in Van on 28 April 2017.

* Furkan and Mehmet Yildirim: Two brothers, aged six and seven, killed by a Turkish armoured vehicle that crashed into the wall of their bedroom as they were sleeping.

* Pakize Hazar (70): Hazar was hit and killed by an armoured vehicle in a pedestrian area in Lice, a district of Diyarbakir province on 14 June 2017.

* Mahmut Oner (74), Mevlut Dagtaş (64), Abdulhamit Dagtaş (63), Fikri Demirbas (53) and Zeynep Demirbas: All five were killed when an armoured vehicle crashed their car in Lice in June 2017.

* Remzi Mentese and an unidentified child died as an armoured vehicle hit a minibus on Diyarbakır – Bingöl road on 19 June 2017.

* Surmi Ince (55): Ince was hit by an armoured vehicle in Yuksekova, a district of Hakkari province, on 18 July 2017.

* Taha Kilic (4): Kilic was hit and killed by an armoured vehicle in front of the Security Directorate building in Van on 24 July 2017.

* Rasid Oso (7): Oso was killed by an armoured vehicle in Istanbul in August 2017.

* Gulten Yarasli (55): Yarasli was hit and killed by an armoured vehicle on Hizan – Tatvan road in Bitlis on 19 October 2017.

* Felek Batur (6): Batur was hit and killed by an armoured vehicle in Cal neighbourhood of Siirt and died at the spot on 19 October 2017.