In a press statement in front of the Kemerbel checkpoint on the Ovacık road, Nurşat Yeşil, Co-Chair of the Dersim Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD), said that the numerous checkpoints set up throughout the city and arbitrary inspections constitute an interference with the public’s private life, freedom of movement, and right to life.
Nurşat Yeşil stated that the military posts, watchtowers, and cameras set up throughout Dersim have effectively plunged the city into a state of emergency.
“On the one hand, tourism is being promoted, while on the other hand, the city is being closed off with concrete barriers. This is a huge contradiction.”
Emphasizing that intensive security measures do not ensure public safety, but rather have become a tool of oppression and control, Yeşil stated, “The right to life, freedom of movement, and privacy of the people of Dersim are non-negotiable. This oppressive environment created by checkpoints and arbitrary inspections must be ended immediately.”