ANKARA - Animal rights organizations stated that a wave of violence has spread against them recently and made the following statement: "We are being targeted on Twitter, we are being killed".

 

Underlining that hate propaganda and calls for violence are made against animals and animal rights defenders through anonymous accounts on the Twitter, and that these calls are considered within the scope of freedom of expression by Twitter, 44 animal rights organizations made a written statement.

 

The statement is as follows: 

 

CALL TO ARMS AGAINST ANIMAL LOVERS

 

"Recently hate propaganda against animals and animal rights defenders in Turkey has been made and violence is encouraged through anonymous accounts on Twitter. In the face of widespread campaigns in which animal rights defenders are presented as dangerous people and that people should take up arms against animal lovers, local law enforcement forces and the government are insufficient in preventive or protective measures.

 

CALLS TO VIOLENCE EVALUATED WITHIN THE SCOPE OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

 

As a result of these violence and massacre calls condoned by Twitter within the scope of freedom of expression, countless dogs have been poisoned, stabbed, shot and beaten to death, mass murders have taken place and animals have been subjected to torture in the last few months. These attacks still continue and are supported and triggered by Twitter posts of some people.

 

In addition, people who protect animals and defend animal rights are presented to the society as dangerous people in broadcasts made with anonymous accounts, and calls are made to kill them.

 

3 ANIMAL LOVERS FROM ONE FAMILY EXECUTED ON THE STREET

 

As a result of these calls, many animal lovers in Turkey were exposed to attacks within a few months. Recently, a theater actress in Ankara was attacked by 2 men for feeding dogs, and was beaten and draggedon the street by her hair. After this act of violence, the instigators organised on Twitter congratulated this attack and thanked the attackers. Faruk Çavuş, President of Ay Yıldız Animal Protection Association in Antalya province, was attacked with an axe for feeding dogs. He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage due to a blow to the head and was taken to hospital. Çavuş was taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital with serious injuries. An animal lover woman who fed dogs in Alanya was attacked, her car windows were smashed with stones and sticks. The animal activist woman was able to save her life fleeing from the scene. A few days ago, three members of an animal-loving family, who were attacked in the middle of the street for feeding dogs in Izmir with fire arms, were executed in front of everyone. In Edirne province, a woman was attacked with a knife recently for feeding animals.

 

PLACES WHERE DOGS LIVE MARKED IN AN APP CALLED HAVRITA 

 

These attacks, which spread all over Turkey, are organised by anonymous accounts on Twitter. Despite all warnings, Twitter considers these people's posts containing incitement and hate propaganda, freedom of expression and does not interfere. Local law enforcement units does not implement preventive and judicial measures on the grounds that Twitter does not share information of these people. These people, who have installed an application called Havrita, publish a detailed map of Turkey which shows where the dogs live in packs and their numbers. In the posts of these Twitter users, the public is asked to take up arms against dogs and dog lovers. Members of the site, where severe insults are directed at animal lovers who protect stray dogs, also tell stories about the animals they killed here.

 

GRAFIC DETAILS OF ANIMAL MURDERS AND ATTACKS ON PEOPLE PROTECTING THEM

 

Some of the examples of the thousands of Twitter posts are as follows:

 

"We want individual armament in order to be protected from the animal lovers and street dogs. Those who do not give our right to self-defense are the real criminals. Individual armament keeps us alive. Get armed and defend yourself”

 

“If everyone beats up a dog owner in front of their house, the dog problem will be solved.”

 

“I sprinkle salt, lemon salt, chili pepper on the dog food on the pavement. I also pour bleach if it's around my house. Come on, feed dogs around my house"

 

“Put BİM mince and bouillon in the boiled potato balls. Reinforce with rat poison and place it in various parts of the street. And beat the person who feeds the dogs, without leaving a trace, with a sack on her head. Feed them the dog food they brought."

 

“I will take a shotgun and shoot the aggressive stray dogs in the street one by one. If there is an animal lover who tries to stop me, he will taste my bullet with pleasure, enough is enough!”

 

The hate campaign carried out with these posts are considered freedom of expression by Twitter, is getting bigger day by day and they are killing us!

 

INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SUPPORT

 

It is our call to the international community. Be the voice of innocent dogs brutally slaughtered and people attacked and killed just for feeding dogs. Please help us stop this hatred."