Protesters arrested at World Water Forum in Istanbul
Protesters were jailed for holding a banner at the forum in Istanbul.
The fifth World Water Forum,
currently being held in Istanbul, Turkey, is expected to shape future
global water policy. But it has already sparked controversy. On
Monday two protesters were jailed and then deported from Turkey.
Two members of the International Rivers group
were detained and deported after unveiling of banner at the forum on
Monday which read "No more risky dams".
Critics say the agenda is largely shaped by the industry and international financial institutions.
Peter Bosshard is the policy director for International Rivers, an international environmental and human rights organisation. He says the forum is essentially a trade fair.
Despite
the forum claiming to be democratic and open, the public is often
unable to express its views due to the high costs of attending,
Bosshard says.
To listen to a commentary by Peter Bosshard, go to:
