Autopsy reports suggest head trauma in 3rd trial into murder of Gezi protester Korkmaz

KAYSERİ

Ali İsmail Korkmaz's mother Emel (L) and father Şahap (R) enter the courthouse in Kayseri, July 14.

Two autopsy reports were read during the second hearing of the trial into the murder of Gezi protester Ali İsmail Korkmaz, which began July 14 in the Central Anatolian city of Kayseri, with both suggesting that he died of a head trauma.

An autopsy report prepared by the medical department of Eskişehir’s Osmangazi University confirmed that Korkmaz died of a brain hemorrhage and complications due to being hit on the head. “Korkmaz would not have died if he had not suffered a head trauma,” it stated.

Another autopsy report presented by the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution underlined that the injuries sustained in Korkmaz’s face and head were strong enough to risk his life, while the injuries on his back and right shoulder had secondary effects on his vital functions. The report also stated that the drugs Korkmaz had been taking to treat a cardiovascular disease had effect of worsening the brain hemorrhage and increasing his danger of death.

Emel Korkmaz, Ali İsmail’s mother, fainted in the courthouse while the reports were being read and was taken outside by her relatives. She later returned to the courtroom.

The witnesses’ testimonials, which were taken in a separate hearing by the Eskişehir 3rd Heavy Penal Court, were read following the autopsy reports.

Korkmaz, 19, was beaten with sticks by plainclothes men during the Gezi protests in Eskişehir on June 2, 2013. He died on July 10 after spending 38 days in a coma.

The arrested suspects, identified only by their initials M.S., M.V., R.K., İ.K., E.H., appeared at the court, along with the other police officers who were released pending trial, identified only as H.E., Ş.G. and Y.A.

The co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the party’s presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş, HDP lawmaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy head Veli Ağababa and lawmakers İlhan Cihaner, Gökhan Günaydın, Aykut Erdoğdu, Muharrem Işık, also went to Kayseri to observe the trial.

A representative from Amnesty International, Andrea De Rujiter, also attended the trial as an observer.

The relatives of Ethem Sarısülük, Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Ahmet Atakan and Abdullah Cömert, who all died during last year’s protests, as well as the family of Berkin Elvan, the 15-year-old who died after spending 269 days in a coma after being shot in the head by a police tear gas canister, all went to Kayseri to support Korkmaz’s familiy.

Police took extensive measures to cordon off the city and closed the main roads leading to the courthouse. Security checkpoints were established and buses bringing people to Kayseri in support of the murdered protester’s family were stopped by police and searched.