First official death recorded in Gezi Park protests: Turkish Doctors Union

ISTANBUL

The victim, 20-year-old Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, is the first confirmed death in protests that have engulfed the entire country. DAILY NEWS photo / Emrah Güler

A Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP) member has been hit and killed after a car driver ignored warnings to stop for protesters organizing a Gezi Park solidarity demonstration in Ümraniye’s 1 Mayıs neighborhood, the Turkish Doctors’ Union (TTB) said today.

The victim, 20-year-old Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, is the first confirmed death in protests that have engulfed the entire country.

A statement released by TTB accused the government of conducting a provocative agenda, citing several remarks of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan which claimed he was “barely holding back the 50 percent” of the country that voted for him from coming onto the street.

A car drove into the crowds, despite warnings, according to the statement, and subsequently caused Ayvalıtaş’s death.

The hacker group RedHack also released a statement, saying Ayvalıtaş was a member, while implying that the killing was the intentional work of a fascist.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) Sabahat Akkiraz extended her condolences on the Ayvalıtaş while describing him as a “martyr.”

The TTB called on government to pull back all police forces, and release all those detained throughout the protests.

Over 1,480 people have so far been wounded in Istanbul, with five people in intensive care and two more in critical condition, the TTB said, adding that around 414 injuries have so far been recorded by Ankara’s Doctors’ Union, with 420 more in İzmir.