Human rights are universal; indivisible and holistic. All human rights are interrelated. Any of these rights cannot be preferred for another.
Civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights and solidarity rights indicate holistic characteristic of human rights.
The incident, which took place on 31st January 2008 in Davutpaşa district in Istanbul, is a massacre. At least 20 persons lost their lives and 100 persons were injured in this incident.
Human rights, in this incident, have been violated in an action carried out by the State organs, local administrations and employer that are all responsible for execution of these rights.
There is chain responsibility in this incident.
There is both vertical (actions and processes by state authorities) and horizontal (actions and processes by other actors such as employers) human violations in Davutpaþa incident.
The Article 7 of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights expresses that state parties (Turkey is a state party to this covenant) recognize workers' right of “safe and healthy working conditions”.
Safe and healthy working conditions are a right like right of fair wage that is for leading a humanly life of himself/herself and his/her family. All of these compose circumstances and facilities that are compulsory for protection of human honour which is the key of human rights.
Workers' right to life has been violated in Davutpaşa.
Those, who violate right to social security via employing illicit workers; employ workers at hunger and poverty threshold level and also unsafe and unhealthy conditions, and close to their eyes to this reality have taken workers' right to life as well.
We protest and condemn it.
We ask for applying judicial processes against those are responsible.
Hüsnü Öndül
President
Human Rights Association (IHD)