Attacked in Aydın, writer Ergün Poyraz has life-threatening injuries

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Writer Ergün Poyraz was attacked in front of his house in Kuşadası district in Turkey's southwestern Aydın province.

Suffering a fractured skull as a result of the attack, Poyraz is reportedly in a life-threatening condition.

Hospitalized in the Söke Fehime Faik Kocagöz State Hospital, Poyraz is currently in the intensive care unit.

According to allegations, the assaulters told Poyraz, "We hit your car by mistake, will you please come downstairs?" After Poyraz left his house, they battered him and ran over him with their vehicle.

6 people detained

Following the incident, the police have started working to catch the suspects. In operations in Söke and Kuşadası, six people considered to be involved in the incident have been taken into custody.

Allegation: He wrote about corruption

As reported by Oda TV, Ergün was receiving threats for writing about the corruption in Kuşadası. Recently, he wrote a tip-off letter regarding a tender lodged by the Kuşadası Municipality, making some allegations about the ZBT construction firm, which was given 15 of the last 17 tenders.

Poyraz said that in the last tender, the municipality purchased 750 thousand tons of gravel from the company, but it was a huge amount for Kuşadası.

According to the reports alleging that this tip-off was leaked, the attack was also carried out by three people working at the company. Of the suspects, company executives T.B. and Z.B. are reportedly among the detained.

About Ergün Poyraz

His book "The Real Face of Welfare" (Refah'ın Gerçek Yüzü) was used as evidence in the closure case filed against the Welfare Party (RP) by Vural Savaş during the "postmodern coup" on February 28, 1997.

His books about Fethullah Gülen were also used as evidence in the lawsuit against Gülen where he was acquitted. He also testified at court.

As part of the investigation carried out into the bombs found in a shanty house in İstanbul's Ümraniye, he was detained in Ankara as part of the "Ergenekon" case on July 27, 2007. He was arrested afterwards.

Handing down its ruling in the case on August 5, 2013, the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court sentenced the writer to 29 years, 6 months in prison.

After the maximum period of arrest was lowered to 5 years in 2014, he was released on March 11, 2014 after having served 6 years, 9 months.

Afterwards, he was acquitted following the ruling of acquittal of the Court of Cassation. (HA/SD)