8th anniversary of Gezi: We remember the deceased with a demand for justice

* Drawing: Faruk Tarınç

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On the 8th anniversary of the Gezi resistance of 2013, we remember the ones who were killed during the resistance with a demand for justice: In memory of Ethem Sarısülük, Abdullah Cömert, Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Ahmet Atakan, Medeni Yıldırım, Hasan Ferit Gedik and Berkin Elvan...

Gezi resistance began with a couple of tents set up at Gezi Park in Taksim/Beyoğlu in İstanbul on May 28, 2013; then, it quickly spread to the entire country, 4 million people joined the protests.

While nearly 10 thousand people were wounded, several people lost their sight after being hit by tear gas cartridges fired by the police.

Several people were put on trial after the resistance on the grounds that they had joined the protests; however, the lawsuits filed into the deaths of people as a result of police attacks have ended in impunity.

We have compiled the losses of life as a result of police and civilian attacks during Gezi and the ensuing judicial processes:

Berkin Elvan: (14): During the Gezi resistance, Elvan left his home in İstanbul's Okmeydanı to buy some bread; he was shot in the head by a tear gas cartridge fired by the police. Having struggled for his life for 269 days, Elvan lost his life in the morning hours on March 11, 2014.

Trial: The prosecutor of the investigation into Elvan's killing was changed six times. The investigation was completed on December 7, 2016. A decision of non-prosecution was given for the 42 police officers whose statements had been taken as part of the investigation.

A lawsuit was filed only against one police officer who was at the scene of this incident. The officer faced the charge of "killing with eventual intent", not "wilful killing." The request for arresting defendant police officer F.D. was rejected at every hearing of the trial.

Ali İsmail Korkmaz (19 ): Joining the protests in Eskişehir province in support of the protests at Gezi Park, Ali İsmail Korkmaz, a freshman at Anadolu University, escaped to the side streets of the city, where he was beaten to death by plain clothes police officers. Struggling for his life in a coma for 38 days, Ali İsmail Korkmaz lost his life on July 10, 2013.

Trial: Eight defendants stood trial over his death; one police officer and four civilians were arrested pending trial, three police officers were not.

The arrested police officer was sentenced to 10 years, 10 months in prison, while the four other defendants were sentenced to 3 years, 4 months. One person was released considering the time he had spent behind bars. While two of the three police officers who were not arrested were acquitted, one police officer was given 10 years in prison and a ruling of arrest.

The court first sentenced arrested police officer Mevlüt Saldoğan to 13 years for "causing death by wilful injury", not for "wilful killing"; however, the court reduced the prison term to 10 years, 10 months.

Ethem Sarısülük (26): During the resistance in the capital city of Ankara, he was shot in the head by police officer Ahmet Şahbaz in Güvenpark, Kızılay. Treated in intensive care at Ankara Numune Hospital for 14 days, Ethem Sarısülük lost his life on June 12, 2013.

Trial: It was confirmed by the ballistics report that the gun which shot Sarısülük belonged to police officer Ahmet Şahbaz. The Ankara 13th Penal Court of Peace ruled that Şahbaz should be released pending trial on the grounds that "his act might remain within the limits of self-defense."

The trial over Sarısülük's killing ended on September 3, 2014. The court board reduced the prison term of Şahbaz due to "unjust provocation" and it made "good conduct" and discretionary reductions. All in all, Şahbaz was sentenced to 7 years, 9 months and 10 days in prison.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation concluded that the sentence was not sufficient and ruled that Şahbaz should have been penalized for wilful killing. In the retrial, Şahbaz was sentenced to 1 year, 4 months, 20 days in prison; his prison sentence was converted to a judicial fine of 10 thousand 100 Turkish Lira (TRY).

Abdullah Cömert (22): During the Gezi resistance in Hatay, Abdullah Cömert was shot in the head by a fire gas cartridge fired from an armored police vehicle. Cömert lost his life on June 3, 2013.

Trial: On March 14, 2016, the Balıkesir 2nd Heavy Penal Court ruled that police officer Ahmet Kuş should be sentenced to 13 years, 4 months in prison for "involuntary killing" of Abdullah Cömert.

After the 1st Penal Court of the Court of Cassation overturned this ruling, the retrial was held at the same court, the ruling was handed down on November 19, 2018. Police officer Ahmet Kuş was sentenced to 6 years, 10 months, 15 days for "killing with eventual intent". He was arrested.

Mehmet Ayvalıtaş (20): During the protests in İstanbul's Ümraniye, he was overrun by a vehicle which drove into the protesting crowd. He lost his life on June 2, 2013. He was 19 years old when he was killed.

Trial: In the expert report presented to the İstanbul 8th Heavy Penal Court, it was indicated that Mehmet Ayvalıtaş was "the primary and sole negligent party in his own death". It was concluded that two defendants did not have any negligence in the incident.

Defendants Mehmet Görkem Demirbaş and Cengiz Aktaş were acquitted on the grounds that "they did not have intent in the offense charged."

Ahmet Atakan (22): Taking to the street in Hatay in September in support of the METU protests, 22-year-old Ahmet Atakan lost his life by falling from a high place in the evening of September 9. According to the allegations, Atakan fell due to a tear gas cartridge fired by the police.

No lawsuit filed: Having attended the preliminary autopsy at the Hatay Public Hospital and done examinations at the scene of the incident, Dr. Selim Matkap said that Ahmet Atakan had no broken bones in his body and that he had suffered from concussion.

It was alleged that the person who had fallen from a high place in the video that came up afterwards was Ahmet Atakan. In the criminal report of the gendarmerie, it was indicated that no hair was found on the gas cartridges found in the vicinity of the scene of the incident. The investigation did not turn into a lawsuit, the cause of death was not identified.

Medeni Yıldırım (18): During the protests at the gendarmerie station in Lice on June 28, he lost his life as a result of the fire opened by the gendarmerie. When Medeni Yıldırım lost his life, he was 18 years old.

Trial: The footage of the moment when Yıldırım was killed was revealed in May 2014. It was confirmed that the gendarmerie fired shots towards the crowd. A lawsuit was filed against soldier Adem Çiftçi.

Not arrested pending trial, Çiftçi was acquitted. Announcing its justified ruling on February 13, 2017, the court concluded that it could not be identified with which weapon Yıldırım was shot to death.

A decision of non-prosecution was given for the Station Commander and Gendarmerie Special Operations Team Commander on the grounds that "the elements of misconduct in office did not arise."

The acquittal was overturned by the Court of Cassation; the retrial over the killing in Medeni Yıldırım is held now.

Hasan Ferit Gedik (21): He was among the group who took to the street against the drug gangs in Gülsuyu. He was shot to death in the head.

Trial: At the trial heard by the İstanbul Anadolu 10th Heavy Penal Court, defendants Şahin Eren, Hakan Taşhan and Doğukan Cep were sentenced to 25 years in prison each on charge of "wilful killing."

Taken together with other prison terms, Şahin Eren was sentenced to 48 years, 5 months, Hakan Taşhan to 34 years, 3 months and Doğukan Cep to 35 years, 4 months in prison in total. An arrest warrant was issued against fugitive defendant Cep. 10 defendants were acquitted. The file of the case is awaiting to be examined and concluded by the Court of Cassation.

Mehmet İstif (36): During the Gezi Park protests in Mersin province, he was sprayed pepper gas in the face on June 20, 2013 and had tongue cancer as a result. Mehmet İstif lost his life in 2014.

Mustafa Sarı (27): On duty during the Gezi Park protests in Turkey's Mediterranean Adana province, police captain Mustafa Sarı fell from the construction of an underpass and lost his life. (RT/SD)