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RADIO:

Violent unrest is spiralling in Turkey, with the government threatening to deploy the army if protests continue. It comes as unions in Turkey called a one-day strike on Monday afternoon against the police crackdown on anti-government demonstrations. Voice of Russia’s Nima Green reports.

Five people have died and 5,000 have been injured in clashes between the police and protesters in the last three weeks.

Tensions in cities across Turkey have increased, following the call by Turkish deputy pm Bulent Arinc, to deploy the Army against protesters.

It’s the first time the Islamist-rooted party, the AKP, has threatened to use the military against demonstrations in what is being seen as a dangerous escalation.

The protests began on 28 May as a relatively small, peaceful demonstration against a plan to redevelop Istanbul’s Gezi Park on Taksim Square, one of the cities remaining green spaces.

However, the police’s use of tear-gas and water cannons escalated the protests into nationwide anti-government demonstrations against Prime Minister Recep Erdogan.

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