Eleven killed and thirty-two injured in 'celebrations'

Photo: bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The elections... Weddings... Championship of Galatasaray...

The Umut Foundation informed that eleven people including children died as a result of fire opened by some on "street celebrations" and 32 people were injured in only 8 days in Turkey.

The foundation announced in a statement issued on June 5 that 11 people were killed and 32 were injured in 27 events by people opening fire in "celebrations" for the election results, for the championship of Galatasaray, or in wedding ceremonies in the last eight days.

"What we lived in İstanbul, and all around Turkey after the ballot boxes were closed and the results were announced was unbelievable. Fire was opened everywhere all night long, and bullets fell from the sky until the morning hours. Tired bullets ended up in front of some, on the table or the vehicle of some others, on the roofs and even inside the houses coming in from the windows," the statement said.

Impunity

The Umut Foundation described in detail what an 11-year-old child lived in Trabzon.

"A bullet hit the headboard in a children's room at Uzunmehmet family's house on the third floor of an eight-floor apartment building in the Sancak neighbourhood in Yomra, Trabzon. 11-year-old M. was playing a game on his mobile leaning on the headboard. He was very lucky that he was not hit. Fatma Uzunmehmet, the mother, told that they were very afraid, and that her son and her 5-year-old daughter no longer wanted to sleep in that room."

The foundation mentioned the impunity that prevails in similar cases. They asked, "Is there anyone who have heard of anyone who took out their weapons and opened fire all around the country on whom any action was taken. We have not heard of any either. We have only read the reports of those who died, and those who were injured. Is it possible to believe that such impunity will not lead to even further recklessness?" in the statement.

Election, wedding, championship

In the celebrations following the election results, 14-year-old Muhammed Eslek was killed in Toroslar, Mersin, another 14-year-old, Emirhan Gelgir in Urfa, and 75-year-old Yakup Hendem in Trabzon. One Good (İYİ) Party member, Erhan Kurt was killed by a knife attack by 17-year-old E.K. who was among those celebrating the election results.

The Umut Foundation also reported accidental killings by firearms in wedding ceremonies. 53-year-old Mehmet Çelik was killed in Amasya by fire opened by his 46-year-old fellow villager Sıtkı Çelik.

In the championship celebrations of Galatasaray football club 28-year-old Abdülsamet Öze was injured with a bullet on his neck in Turgutlu, Manisa.

"A celebration where people are killed cannot be called a celebration. Do not allow individual armament, do not make people suffer," said the Umut Foundation in its statement. (AS/PE)