Man who died in jail after being dismissed by decree was tortured in prison: CHP head Kılıçdaroğlu

ANKARA

A man who was detained on charges of being member of the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) and who died 13 days after being detained was tortured to death, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said.

“It has been revealed that this citizen died because of torture. [Gökhan Açıkkollu] wasn’t even given a proper chance to give his testimony. His family told our friend that they took his body to [Central Anatolian province of] Konya and they were not even allowed to bury him,” Kılıçdaroğlu said at the CHP’s parliamentary group meeting in Ankara on March 7.

“What has this man gone through? He wasn’t put on trial. It is not even clear whether he was guilty or not. And yet he dies because of torture,” he said.

The CHP leader also vowed to support Açıkkollu’s family if they ever took legal action over the death.

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office denied torture allegations on March 8, saying Açıkkollu’s medication was provided and that he died despite the efforts of the Haseki Hospital.

Açıkkollu, a history instructor at an Istanbul high school, was detained on July 24, 2016, a few days after the July 2016 coup attempt believed to have been orchestrated by the movement of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen.

Açıkkollu – who was suffering from diabetes - was taken in after several coup suspects identified to have been involved with FETÖ pointed to him in their testimonies.

However, he recently hit headlines because his formal dismissal from his teaching position was revoked by the authorities after his death, according to official documents.

His wife, Mümine Açıkkollu, was also released pending trial over suspected links to FETÖ.