We strongly urge Rep. Keith Ellison [D-MN], Sen. Patrick Leahy [D-VT], and Rep. Raúl Grijalva [D-AZ3] to take immediate steps toward introducing legislation to ban or suspend the export of these harmful agents to Turkey.
Why?
Turkish police have used and continue to use these substances against peacefully assembled citizens who pose no threat to public order. They are used in massive quantities (allegedly, the pepper gas used in the first six days of the most recent protests equals the total amount of gas use in 14 European countries combined) and in an improper and gratuitously unsafe manner.
Turkish police regularly fire the metal gas canisters directly at protesters from a closerange rather than at the 45 degree angle and 120 yard distance required to prevent serious injuries from the impact. They are also fired from alldirections, leaving protestors nowhere to run to end toxic gas exposure.
Turkish police have also used these agents in unsafe enclosed conditions such as vehicle, houses, and subway stations despite the fact that these chemicals are only safe in open environments. Innocent bystanders, even whole districts of cities are affected by the massive use.
Given Turkey's continued dangerous use of these chemicals against its own citizens, despite the international condemnation, we urge you to pass a law prohibiting or suspending their export to Turkey.
What's the next step?
You copy-paste our petition to Sen. Patrick Leahy [D-VT] directly.
Fax his office: (202) 224-3479
Call his offices from: (202) 224-4242 (Washington D.C.)
(802) 863-2525 and 1-800-642-3193 (Burlington, VT)
(802) 229-0569 (Montpelier, VT).
"У нас есть свобода, но не осталось времени" Dolores ORiordan 