RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY: PEPPER GAS IS PERMISSIBLE

Department of religious affairs supported pepper gas, which has been used heavily by the police during the June resistance and that the experts consider dangerous to human health.

Department of religious affairs permitted the use of pepper gas, while the arguments over the extra force used by police against the public over the past 3 weeks have continued and PM Erdogan said “I gave the orders”

Department of religious affairs’ call center announced that using pepper gas is permissible under Islam rules. They also said that pepper gas is the least harmful to human health.

The following statements have been made with regard to how using pepper gas is permissible under Islamic rule:

In every country, a method to defend against who use force and who demonstrate in such events is developed. Our government is doing just that. They make it clear that people with asthma should leave before the attacks. It is not right to assess in this way for religious reasons. Other methods of defending against force could have been developed but this is the best one and the least harmful and that’s why it has been used. To disperse the opposition, some kind of action is required. This could be the baton. In other countries, police uses plastic bullets. There is no harm in using pepper gas. If the least harmful is pepper cast, it is most appropriate to intervene with it.

Its harmful effects are documented

It turns out that there was a research study and an ensuing report in 2003 by Istanbul University Medical School with request from the Police Department on as to whether pepper gas is harmful to human health, which has been continuously used across the country during the Gezi resistance events.

Report, which studied the structure and side effects of pepper gas said that pepper gas and particles irritate the mucus on human skin, creates a burning sensation. Additionally, could result in temporary blindness and irritation in eyes. However, none of these effects are permanent.

Following were stated in the report:

At the point of contact pepper gas causes temperate increase and burning sensation. It widens the veins and causes pain. Pepper gas and particles have unwanted effects. They result in sneezing, discharge of fluids from the nose. They cause intolerable burning sensation and temporary blindness.