Anti-smoking activist unwelcome at festival

ISTANBUL

Professor Orhan Kural demanded entry to Parkkorman on July 7 in order to monitor the degree of alcohol and cigarette consumption by young people in the venue.

Professor Orhan Kural, a self-acclaimed anti-smoking activist and environmentalist, was expelled from a music festival venue after he insisted on monitoring alcohol and cigarette use.

According to a report by Anatolia news agency, Kural, the head of Istanbul Technical University’s Mining Engineering Department, met with friends from the Turkish Green Crescent and demanded entry to Parkkorman on July 7 in order to monitor the degree of alcohol and cigarette consumption by young people in the venue which was hosting Tuborg GoldFest at the time.

Kural claimed he had all the necessary legal papers to allow him to observe the activity of alcohol and cigarette consumption, however, Anatolia news agency’s report lacks elaboration on the nature of these “legal papers.” The professor reportedly engaged in an angry confrontation with the festival’s security personnel and was not admitted in. Kural told members of the press that he was acting on complaints he had received that the festival was encouraging young people to abuse alcohol.