Former labor minister dies aged 74

ANKARA

Former Labor Minister Yaşar Okuyan lost his life at the age of 74 after a prolonged treatment in the capital Ankara.

"Mr. Yaşar Okuyan passed away early this morning. Yaşar Okuyan, who had been under treatment at our hospital for a long time, experienced a deterioration in his health in the last week and succumbed to multiple organ failure at 2:46 a.m. on Dec. 26, despite all our efforts," said the statement from Başkent Hospital, where Okuyan was receiving treatment.

Born in 1949 in the northwestern province of Yalova to a family that had moved from the northern province of Rize, Okuyan had a political career in which he held various positions in nine different parties.

He served as a Yalova deputy from 1995 to 2002 and as the Labor and Social Security Minister from 1999 to 2002.

As a graduate of an Istanbul private journalism academy, Okuyan worked as a reporter, photojournalist, columnist and news director for 21 years in various newspapers, magazines and agencies. He also served as the chairman of the board of directors of the İmbat Companies Group, which was active in various sectors, including mining.