Unseen photos of revolutionary student leader revealed after 50 years
ISTANBUL- İdris Emen
Never seen before photographs of Deniz Gezmiş, a revolutionary student leader executed in 1972 for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, have been brought to light by a relative.
The photographs of the prominent political figure taken immediately after his capture by the security forces in 1971 were colored by his relative Enver Gezmiş and were shared on social media.
The photos seen for the first time went viral on Twitter and were liked by tens of thousands of social media users.
Appearing with his iconic green coat and a very tired facial expression in the photos, Gezmiş is seen being taken out of the Interior Ministry’s building in Ankara by police chiefs holding his arms.
“I did not have large versions of these photos. When I received them, I colored and shared them on social media,” Enver Gezmiş told daily Hürriyet, adding that people liked the new version of the photos.
Bora Gezmiş, Deniz Gezmiş’s brother, also said that he saw the photos for the first time.
“The faces of other people in the photographs are familiar. These people are also present in other photos taken that day,” Bora Gezmiş said, noting that he did not know who took these photos.
Deniz Gezmiş, along with his comrades Hüseyin İnan and Yusuf Aslan, was caught in the Central Anatolian province of Sivas as a result of a joint operation carried out by police and the army only four days after the March 12 memorandum.
Deniz Gezmiş, who was detained overnight in the neighboring city of Kayseri, was later taken to the capital Ankara for questioning.
After speaking with the then interior minister, Haldun Menteşoğlu, in the Interior Ministry’s building, Deniz Gezmiş was exposed to the reporters while being taken to the police headquarters in Ankara accompanied by law enforcement police chiefs.
Deniz Gezmiş, İnan and Aslan were found guilty of “attempting to change all or part of the constitution” as the founders of the People’s Liberation Army of Turkey (THKO).
They were hanged on May 6, 1972, at the Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara after the military coup of March 12, 1971.
The posters of images of Deniz Gezmiş have become a common sight at protest rallies.
Depo Photos, an editorial and creative photo agency based in Istanbul, also published some new photos of Deniz Gezmiş last year.
The photographs taken after the interrogation at the police headquarters in Ankara were also shared by Enver Gezmiş on social media.
