Human Rights Watch (HRW) published Wednesday a report condemning the use of teargas by Turkish police “in huge quantities into confined spaces” in recent anti-government demonstrations

Human Rights Watch (HRW) published Wednesday a report condemning the use of teargas by Turkish police “in huge quantities into confined spaces” in recent anti-government demonstrations.

“Teargas canisters can inflict serious -- even life threatening -- wounds when fired directly at demonstrators, and that happened over and over again at Gezi Park,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, a senior Turkey researcher at HRW.

“The police and their commanders who used these canisters in such an irresponsible way should be held to account for inflicting unnecessary harm and endangering lives.”

HRW also denounced the use of plastic bullets and pepper sprays against the demonstrators.

The rights group said the Medical Association documented 11 cases up to June 27 in which “people lost an eye as a result of being hit by plastic bullets or a teargas canister.”

Over the past couple of weeks, tens of thousands of anti-government protesters held demonstrations in tens of cities across the country.