Families of killed Gezi protesters hold meeting at Turkish Parliament

ANKARA

A group hold a protest in front of Eskişehir Courthouse to protest the killing of Ali İsmail korkmaz, who was beated by unidentified people during protests. DHA photo

The families of five deceased protesters, four killed during anti-government Gezi Park demonstrations and the other in a protest against the construction of a military outpost in Lice, met at Parliament July 26 to demand justice.

The families of Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Abdullah Cömert, Ali İsmail Korkmaz, Ethem Sarısülük and Medeni Yıldırım gathered at a press conference hosted by Hüseyin Aygün, a deputy of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), prior to a commemoration set to take place in the evening.

Mustafa Sarısülük, whose brother was shot dead by a police officer during protests in Ankara, vowed that they would not give up on their pursuit of justice. “My son had dreams. He was defeated by those with sticks in their hands,” Emel Korkmaz, whose son was beaten to death in Eskişehir, said. Korkmaz’s brother, meanwhile, said the trial period was taking too long and evidence was being blacked out, adding that video footage showing the incident was missing.

Ali Ayvalıtaş, whose son was hit by an unidentified car during protests in Istanbul, criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “The whole world is supporting us; the prime minister says ‘3-5 marauders are dead.’” Zafer Cömert, whose brother died after being hit by a tear gas canister during protests in Antakya, stated that the responsibility lay not only with police officers, but also those who give the orders, mayors and the prime minister, who sees police violence as legitimate.

Fahriye Yıldırım, whose son was killed while protesting the building of a police station in the Lice district of Diyarbakır, urged for the guilty parties to be identified.

Meanwhile, the fortieth day since Sarısülük’s death was set to be commemorated in Güven Park, where he was shot.