Funeral Held for Son of Gün on Hunger Strike for 90 Days

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70 year-old Kemal Gün who had been on a hunger strike for 90 days to retrieve body of his son who was killed in airstrike in Dersim had his son's bones delivered yesterday (May 25). The funeral ceremony took place today in Hozat district of Dersim.

The bones delivered yesterday were taken from Tunceli Municipality sent to Hozat Djemevi's morgue on an ambulance.
According to a report by Dicle News Agency (dihaber) following a funeral ceremony held in Hozat Djemevi, Gün's son has been laid to rest in Hozat Cemetery accompanied with slogans.

Gün's attorney Engin Gökoğlu speaking to bianet had said yesterday that Gün had ended his hunger strike upon receiving his dead son's bones and that he would be receiving a medical treatment after the funeral ceremony was held.

What happened?

According to Gün's attorney Engin Gökoğlu speaking to bianet, the course of events are as follows: 

"11 Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C) militants were killed in an airstrike launched by the Turkish Armed Forces on Çat region located between Dersim central district and Hozat district on November 7, 2016. One of those killed was Murat Gün aged 28.

"The bombed shelter collapsed. The bodies at which the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) could reach and which remained partially intact were buried in Malatya Cemetery of the Nameless following the autopsy in Mardin Forensics Medicine.

"When Kemal Gün was informed of the event, he applied to get the body. When it was informed that his son's body wasn't among the ones buried in the cemetery, he requested that the shelter be opened.

"His request was acknowledged. After the bombing in March, the area was dug.

"Kemal Gün took the bones out of the soil with his bare hands. The gendarmerie and prosecutor's office sent the bones to the Forensic Medicine.

"The Forensic Medicine reported that the DNA test couldn't be proceeded due to the overheating in the bones resulting from the bombardment. The prosecutor informed that the bones cannot be delivered without a DNA match".

Kemal Gün went on hunger strike on February 28. He only received vitamin B1, sugar, water and salt.

Tunceli Bar President Barış Yıldırım told bianet that Tunceli Governor Osman Kaymak, who is also the Tunceli Mayor, promised to give the bones of Osman Kaymak to his father.

On May 17, Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and Tunceli Governorship had also stated that the bones were sent to the municipality.

Upon receiving the bones of his dead son on May 25, Kemal Gün ended his hunger strike on its 90th day. (AS/DG)