A villager was shot dead and two others were injured on Sep 3 in Artvin, Turkey, during a protest against a construction project that threatened a local forest.
The incident occurred in the Cankurtaran area of Çifteköprü village, where heavy machinery had entered a forested area as part of a "Recration Area Project Wit Accomodation."
When villagers attempted to block the machinery, claiming they would not allow their trees to be cut down, a man identified as Muhammet Ustabaş, allegedly linked to the company behind the project, opened fire on the protesters. Reşit Kibar was fatally wounded in the attack, while two other villagers sustained minor injuries.
Following the incident, the Artvin Governor's Office announced the arrest of Ustabaş and another individual, Fikret M., who was in possession of the firearm used in the attack. Ustabaş was detained, while Fikret M. was released on probation.
The company responsible for the project, Yapısoy Beton, announced its withdrawal from the project following the shooting.
A local journalist, Atakan Asılbay, told bianet that Ustabaş was known in the village as an associate of Yunus Merttürk, the individual who had secured the tender and permits for the project. Villagers expressed their anger and claimed that they had been warned multiple times about the potential consequences of their opposition.
Merttürk, a businessperson based in Kocaeli, owns several companies including Gülaş İnşaat, Gülaş Makine, and Yapısoy Beton. He is known for his close ties to the ruling AKP party.
Reşit Kibar was laid to rest yesterday in a funeral attended by a large crowd. The killing has sparked protests in İstanbul and other cities across Turkey, with demonstrators demanding justice and an end to environmental destruction. (VK)
