Police officers who failed to protect Turkish Deputy PM from attack sidelined

NEVŞEHİR

Hüseyin Satı (2nd L) was detained after hitting Bozdağ in the chest during a ceremony in Nevşehir. DHA Photo

A police chief and four other police guards have been suspended from their posts as a result of the investigation regarding the attack against Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ Aug. 16, when a local journalist punched him in the chest.

Hacıbektaş district’s police chief Yasin Karip, Nevşehir provincial directorate of security’s protection chief Faruk Yaman and three police officers were laid off from their posts, daily Hürriyet reported today.

Hüseyin Satı, who was detained after hitting Bozdağ in the chest during a ceremony to commemorate Alevi-Bektaşi figure Hacı Bektaş Veli in Nevşehir, was released after testifying to court early on Aug. 18.
Satı was released from detention on the condition of judiciary control.

Bozdağ had responded harshly to a court’s decision accusing the prosecutor of “providing strength and encouragement to all attackers” with his decision.

“Decisions like these don’t rehabilitate attackers. It provides strength and encouragement to all attackers instead,” Bozdağ said on Aug 19.

According to his release conditions, Satı will not be permitted to leave the country and he will have to appear at a police department in person six days a week.