Ömer Halisdemir’s family registers his name

Chief Sergeant Ömer Halisdemir took an order over the phone on the night of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt from Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı: “I am giving you a historic duty in the name of our country and nation. Brigadier General Terzi is a traitor, an insurgent. Kill him before he enters the headquarters. There is martyrdom at the end of this. Give your blessing.”
 
Halisdemir answered in the affirmative. He shot Terzi three times as he was entering the building with 20 officers and killed him. 

He was later shot in the back by pro-coup soldiers and martyred. Halisdemir was one of the officers who changed the course of the July 15 coup attempt.

Tens and hundreds of thousands have visited his grave in the Central Anatolian province of Niğde’s Çukurkuyu district. His name is living on with many schools. A university has also been named after him. 

The other day, we learned that his wife Hatice Halisdemir took out a patent for her husband’s name: “Ömer Halisdemir.” It may seem strange at first sight to patent the name of a martyred husband or son, but she has done the right thing. In fact, she was almost forced to do it. 

She was forced to take such a step because of those for whom there are no boundaries for publicity. It is quite surprising how far people can go, in this case, in using martyr Halisdemir’s name to advertise or promote their products and services. 

For example, a construction firm in Sakarya province, the website of which describes its vision as one “based on respect for humans and nature,” started advertising that they would build a “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Housing Complex.” 

Their ad slogan was: “A comfortable living zone: Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Housing Complex.” 

Some thought the firm was doing this with “good intentions,” others thought it was the most “tasteless action they have ever seen.” The shared opinion was that it was a bad mistake. 

Several similar examples have occurred. So the Halisdemir family first submitted a petition to the Niğde Governor’s Office in November 2016 against those trying to exploit Ömer Halisdemir’s name for their own interests. 

A statement from the Governor’s Office said the following: “In the petition submitted by his family, it has been stated that the name and picture of Ömer Halisdemir cannot be used in films, advertisements, in commercial companies, by foundations, associations and nongovernmental organizations; the family absolutely does not give consent to any of them and legal procedures will be taken against those who do not comply.”
 
What has happened to us?

However, this petition has apparently failed to prevent such shameless attempts. The family of the martyr thus resorted to taking the patent of his name.

The patent firm said Ömer Halisdemir’s name has been registered in several sectors, including the defense sector, land, naval and air logistics services, media publications, financial services, scientific and industrial research, education, legal services, engineering services, medicine and energy.” 

In the next debate of “What kind of people have we become?” this example can be used for those who wish to. This society has generated people who would exploit the name of the martyr to carry out their monetary business. What more can there be? I guess this is as low as it gets.