Istanbul Governor’s Office allows prosecution of police officer who shot Uğur Kurt

ISTANBUL

Uğur Kurt was killed on May 23 after being hit by a stray bullet while attending a funeral in the neighborhood’s cemevi. DHA Photo

The Istanbul Governor’s Office has allowed the prosecution of the police officer who shot and killed Uğur Kurt at the courtyard of a cemevi, an Alevi place of worship, during a crackdown on demonstrators in Istanbul’s Okmeydanı neighborhood.

Kurt was killed on May 23 after being hit by a stray bullet while attending a funeral.

The investigation showed that the bullet was fired by a policeman, prompting prosecutors to file a demand to investigate the officer responsible.

The investigation also raised controversy as prosecutors argued the officer who fired the gun, identified only as S.K., acted in “self-defense.” However, police camera footage recently added to the investigation file reportedly showed that S.K. had fired his gun during the crackdown in Okmeydanı, despite warnings from his colleagues.

Kurt’s funeral was held May 24 at the same Okmeydanı cemevi.

The Governor’s Office document stated that S.K. acted in fear and panic as he was unexperienced. The notice, which was also signed by Istanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, said S.K. should not have used his gun, or at least should have used it in line with regulations.

S.K. had panicked as the vehicle he was in was set on fire due to a molotov cocktail and he was facing a second attack, it said.

The decision came only one day after an Ankara court decided to arrest another police officer, charged with killing Gezi protester Ethem Sarısülük during last year’s Gezi protests in the capital.