Protester declared brain dead passes away

ANKARA

A mother lights a candle during a vigil in memory of those killed during the recents demonstrations on Istanbul's Taksim Square June 14. AFP photo

Ethem Sarısülük, who was allegedly shot by a police officer in Ankara during the Gezi Park demonstrations and declared brain dead by his family, passed away on June 14, increasing the number of casualties in the protests to four.

Doctors of the Ankara Numune Hospital, where the 27-year-old worker received treatment, said in a written statement that Sarısülük’s heart had stopped at 3:15 p.m. June 14, according to private broadcaster CNNTürk.

His lawyer Kazım Bayraktar told the Turkish press that an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death.

Bayraktar had previously told the Hürriyet Daily News that a notice was sent to Ankara Police Department demanding them to identify this police officer. “No response came so far,” he said.

Sarısülük’s funeral is likely to be held on June 16. Protesters at Gezi Park held a commemoration for the victims of the protest on June 14.

Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, a 20-year-old who was hit by a car during the demonstrations in Istanbul, became the first casualty of the protests on June 2. Abdullah Cömert, 22, was killed the next day during clashes in Antakya when a tear-gas canister exploded as it hit his head.

Mustafa Sarı, a police commissioner, had succumbed to injuries sustained on June 5 after he fell from a bridge while pursuing protesters in the southern province of Adana.