Beating Scenes “Missing” in Footage

Prosecutors are maintaining their investigation on the killing of Ali Ismail Korkmaz, a Gezi Park protestor. The expert report cited a footage from the “broken” surveillance camera nearby the crime scene of Ali Ismail Korkmaz beating. The footage, however, didn’t include any attack scenes. 

“I have serious doubts that evidence mights be obscured,” Korkmaz’s family advocate told bianet. 

The investigation also included testimonies of 13 people including two as suspects and others as witnesses. 

Another witness who claimed to have seen the incidents and wrote about his experience on social media website (ekşisözlük), requested to become a “secret witness”, saying that there were “police officers among attackers”. His request was denied as the crime in investigation was not classified under “terrorism”. Also, it was stated that there was with no means of appealing - a process that ran out after first 7 days.  

Some attackers wore gas masks 

Prosecutors previously ordered footage from three nearby surveillance camera. However, it turned out that two of them had “no footage” at all and other “broken”. 

The only footage on the incident arrived in the hands of prosecutors as “broken”. Prosecutors reportedly launched investigations on involved police officers. 

The expert report cited that the footage included the time frame between midnight (June 3) and 2 am (June 4) in the morning. However, the report said that footage didn’t include 18-20 minute period which allegedly registered the beating of Korkmaz. 

A footage released by Radikal newspaper showed certain individuals wearing gas masks and holding bats.  

“Casually-Dressed among attackers” 

Korkmaz family advocate told bianet that prosecutors took the testimony of two local business owners whose surveillance camera footage turned out “blank” as well as a total of 13 people including Korkmaz’s friends. 

“Police beat but there were also casually-dressed people among attackers,” said a friend of Korkmaz’s who met Korkmaz after the incident. 

Another witness who claimed to have seen the incidents and wrote about his experience on social media website (ekşisözlük), said there were civilly-dressed police officers among attackers.  

In an interview with Alaz Kuseyri from T24, he identified Ali Ismail Korkmaz from his picture on newspapers. 

“Two policemen ambushed in front of a car and tried to capture Ali Ismail, but they failed. Instead they caught two other protestors behind him and started to attack them. Ali was running in the meanwhile. Another man with a bat was unable to catch him. But there were some civil cops and onlookers who made Ali lose his balance and hit shutters. Then the group started beating him.” (BK/AS/BM)