Amnesty seeks justice for 14-year-old victim of police brutality during Gezi protests

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

14-year-old Berkin Elvan was hit by a tear gas capsule which has put him into a coma. Hürriyet photo

Amnesty International (AI) has issued a call to Turkish authorities to launch a fair investigation to find the police officer responsible for firing a tear gas capsule that struck Berkin Elvan, putting the 14-year-old into a coma that he has not exited for more than two months.

Berkin Elvan’s father, Sami Elvan, said their attempts to access security or CCTV records from the incident have been unsuccessful for the past two months, the organization said.
 
The 14-year-old was not a protester but a bystander who was attacked after stepping out to buy bread during a police intervention in Istanbul’s Okmeydanı neighborhood on June 16.

“We demand preliminary examinations regarding Berkin Elvan’s injury case to be conducted as soon as possible in an effective, objective, independent way, for his family and lawyers to be informed fully and for those responsible to be brought before a judge,” Amnesty International said Aug. 20.

Five people have died and thousands have been injured since the Gezi protests erupted in late May, when Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality attempted to cut down trees in Taksim’s most iconic park, sparking anger in Istanbul and cities around the country.