ISTANBUL: Amnesty International called on Turkish authorities Thursday to launch an investigation into alleged “police violence” during a wave of protests this year, saying some instances “could amount to acts of torture.”

The arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, the leading opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sparked Türkiye’s worst street protests in over a decade.

“Our findings reveal damning evidence of unlawful force frequently used by law enforcement officers,” said Esther Major, a deputy director at the global human rights group.

“The authorities used tear gas, pepper spray, kinetic impact projectiles and water cannons against people who were simply exercising their rights,” she said in a statement.

“The violations documented constitute cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and, in some cases, may amount to torture,” Major said, calling for the launch of an investigation.

Imamoglu was widely seen as the biggest political rival to Erdogan and his jailing is likely to prevent him from running in the 2028 presidential election.

Authorities said they arrested nearly 1,900 people during the protests, most of whom were accused of participating in illegal gatherings.

The vast majority have since been released.

Amnesty said it had “verified dozens of videos documenting how protesters were beaten, kicked and dragged on the ground by law enforcement officials even when they were dispersing, not resisting or were already restrained.”

The NGO said some “protesters were subjected to water cannon, tear gas, kinetic impact projectiles by police, often at very close range directly targeting the head and upper body, in violation of international human rights law.”

One of them required retinal surgery and may lose sight in one eye, Amnesty said.