Police in Turkey have detained more than two-dozen Twitter users accusing them of using the social media network to
“instigate public hatred and animosity.”

People have relied on Twitter and other social media as Turkey’s state run and even some private corporate media seem to be pretending that tens of thousands of protesters aren’t really involved in a week of demonstrations against the authoritarian rule of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and that somehow cops aren’t really responding disproportionately.

Cops apparently took their cue from Erdogan who denounced Twitter as a “menace to society”, adding: “The best examples of lies can be found there.”  Soon after, suspects had been detained for “spreading untrue information” and inciting people to join demonstrations.  

Meanwhile, a third person is dead because of the heavy-handed police response to the peaceful protests. Ethem Sarisuluk was an activist who was wounded in the head by police in Ankara.  He had been lingering in hospital until passing away Wednesday.  The other two people killed by Turkish police are identified as 22-year-old Abdullah Comert, also wounded in the head by cops in a southern city on 3 June; and 20-year-old Mehmet Ayvalitas who was run down by a taxi whose driver ignored warnings to stop for protesters.

Cops aren’t just violating human rights.  Turkey’s “brave” police force apparently feels the need to tear gas dogs as well.