Turkish police finally permit commemoration for killed protester after three days

ISTANBUL

The family and friends of Gedik were insistent on holding his funeral at the place where he was shot in Istanbul’s Gülsuyu neighborhood. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

The Istanbul governorship has finally permitted a commemoration to be held for 21-year-old protester Hasan Ferit Gedik, who died during clashes between leftist groups and drug dealers, at the murder scene after a tense three-day wait.

The family and friends of Gedik were insistent on holding his funeral at the place where he was shot in Istanbul’s Gülsuyu neighborhood, but the police banned their entrance due to fears of fresh clashes with the gang, which is accused of being responsible for Gedik’s death.

After three days of effort, a farewell ceremony was planned for Gedik in his neighborhood at noon. After being carried on shoulders, he will be buried in Gazi Neighborhood Cemetery.

The police have begun to increase security measures along the route that the funeral vehicle will take.
Gedik was shot to death on Sept. 30 after fire was opened up on protesters who were marching against the presence of drug dealers in their neighborhood. In August, during another clash, nine of Gedik’s friends were also wounded.

Gedik’s body had been held at the Armutlu Cemevi for the past three days, waiting to be buried, as police stood guard at the entrances of the neighborhood.

Gedik’s grandfather Mustafa Meral reached out to Istanbul Governor Hüseyin Vali Mutlu yesterday, aiming for a resolution of the deadlock, but he said he received a negative answer.

“We said we will bring our funeral to Gülsuyu. They didn’t respond to us positively. But this is not our problem, it is their problem. We will stick with our way,” he said yesterday.

Protests against the drug dealers and the police, who were accused of doing too little to crack down on drug gangs in the area and of destroying evidence in Gedik’s case, continued for the past three days.

A group from the People’s Front, which Gedik was reported to be a member of as well, gathered yesterday and sent colorful paper lanterns up into sky, while chanting slogans.

Deputies from opposition parties, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), also paid visits to the slayed protestor’s family and urged the authorities to adopt a tougher approach against the illegal organizations in the neighborhood.

Three guns found, three more detained

Meanwhile, police found three guns that were suspected to have been used during Gedik’s murder and detained three more suspects as part of the investigation it launched into clashes.

The three guns were discovered close to shore of Tuzla, a southwestern suburb of Istanbul’s Asian side, as a result of the search operations at sea. Organized Crime Control Bureau teams had already detained around 17 people on Oct. 1, including the head of the gang, who was suspected of being involved in the clashes.