Police officer who injured Gezi protester in eye to be searched for until 2028

Mesut Hasan Benli ANKARA / HÜRRİYET

Mustafa Namlı sustained permanent damage to his left-eye after being hit by a police tear gas canister during Gezi protests last year in Ankara.

Prosecutors have ordered that a police officer who injured a protester during last year’s Gezi demonstrations in Ankara be searched for until 2028, the time limit of the statute of limitations for the crime.

Mustafa Namlı sustained permanent damage to his left-eye after being hit by a police tear gas canister during protests on June 1, 2013, in Ankara’s Kızılay Square.

Upon Namlı’s testimony, the prosecution had requested images filmed in the surroundings of Kızılay Square from the police department, but all the footage sent was incomplete.

The prosecutor in charge of the case, Mehmet Başer, ordered then a 14-year search.

“As there is a 15-year statute of limitations period in the law regarding the alleged crime, it has been decided to issue a permanent search order until the statute of limitation on June 2, 2028,” the prosecutor’s decision stated.

Prosecutors also stated that the police department issued an order to “rigorously search” for the officer responsible for firing the tear gas canister, though lawyers representing Namlı criticized the prosecution for failing to meticulously probe police violence.

“These investigations usually drag on, as police department officials usually state that the camera were not working at the exact time when the victims’ injuries occur,” lawyer Saliha Şahin said, adding that the prosecutor has closed the file until the suspect is found.

In many investigations, including those into the killing of Gezi protesters Ali İsmail Korkmaz and Berkin Elvan, camera footage was initially said to be lost or non-existent. They then surfaced as the investigations advanced, usually due to efforts from the lawyers of the victims.