"The South Korean authorities need to send a clear and urgent message that no arms will be supplied to a country where abusive and arbitrary force is being used against protesters. The Turkish government's failure to guarantee the right to peaceful protest is completely contrary to international standards on policing and human rights," Marek Marczynski, the organization"s head of military, security and police, said.
According to the organization's source, the shipment will include almost 1.9 million "less lethal" chemical irritants, comprised of over 1.5 million gas cartridges and almost 400,000 gas grenades. The first delivery of 550,000 items is scheduled for mid-January 2015, with the rest to follow in mid-May.
During Turkey's nationwide anti-government protests in May-July 2013, the country's security forces used "abusive and arbitrary" force against protesters, Amnesty International said. The protests have resulted in the deaths of at least four persons and injured more than 8,000.