Hanifi Zengin, a senior police officer in İstanbul whose conduct during public protests has drawn criticism, has been removed from his active role.
Zengin, previously serving as the head of the İstanbul Security Branch and later as Başakşehir District Police Chief, has been reassigned to a non-active post within the personnel department. The reassignment was reported by veteran journalist Tolga Şardan on T24, who specializes in police and judiciary matters.
Zengin has faced public criticism and formal complaints due to his conduct during demonstrations, especially towards women and LGBTI+ activists and journalists.
Police chief investigated after claims of maltreatment of demonstrators, journalists
During his tenure as the head of the Security Branch, Zengin was at the center of multiple controversies.
During the 2022 Pride March in İstanbul, Zengin was accused of harassing a woman demonstrator, an incident captured on video that sparked public outrage. Rights organizations filed complaints following the surfacing of the video.
During the same event, Zengin ordered the detention of AFP photojournalist Bülent Kılıç.
In July 2022, during a protest by healthcare workers mourning the killing of a doctor, Zengin allegedly threatened a camera operator. He reportedly told Bilal Meyveci, “Did you record me stepping on your foot? We’ll talk later!” (VK)
