A separate, but apparently related eviction affected Romani families living in Hasanpaşa neighbourhood, Kadiköy district of Istanbul. As of July 8, 2006, approximately 10 families lived on a very large vacant lot near Fenerbahçe Deresi. The area which looks like a trash dump with bottles, soda cans, plastic and paper scattered around, is fenced in and located just below several middle-class apartment buildings and car repair shops. Families lived in shelters made of canvas and rope tied to trees, about 1.3 meters high and 2 meters wide. There was no electricity and running water. Drinking water was kept in an open jug. According to the testimony of a 50-year-old Romani woman, in the winter of 2006, on a snowy day, municipal bulldozers leveled the shacks of around 40 families who used to live in that area for around 70 years. The Roma were given a deadline of 15 days to leave the place. After the expiry of the deadline, in the early morning hours, approximately 7-7:30 am, while many people were still in bed, around 200 police circled the area. Then four bulldozers proceeded to destroy the houses. The families were not given time to collect their belongings from inside. Furniture, personal belongings and documents were destroyed together with the homes. Some of the families left the area after the destruction of the houses. Around 10 families assembled shelters and remained on the spot. Several Roma stated that they were determined to remain where they were because they had no other place to go and could not afford to pay rent or buy a house. They were reportedly not offered any help from the municipality. One man alleged that after the winter eviction he requested help from the municipality but was turned down by a municipal official. Roma testified that in the recent weeks officials from the municipality visited them threatening them with a new eviction.

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