Witnesses testify in Gezi protester death case

ESKİŞEHİR

DHA Photo

Twelve witnesses testified Feb. 28 in the trial into the death of Gezi protester Ali İsmail Korkmaz.

The controversial case into the death of the 19-year-old was divided into four separate hearings, with the main hearing being moved to the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri for "security reasons." 

The hearing of 12 witnesses was held in Eskişehir, where Korkmaz was studying as a university student, and where he was beaten to death with sticks by plainclothes men on June 2, 2013. He died of a brain hemorrhage on July 10 after spending 38 days in a coma.

On Feb. 28, the judge heard the testimonies of 12 witnesses, including shopkeepers and a hotel owner on the street where Korkmaz was attacked, as well as doctors at the hospital to which he was taken after the beating. Two witnesses were absent.

The owner of Beşik Hotel, Erdoğan Gözseçen, said he saw police officers beating protesters, but could not particularly remember Korkmaz being beaten.

Gözseçen also said the police told him to turn off the electricity to block the hotel’s security camera that night and he did not understand why, adding that police came to the hotel the following days to take the footage. He added that Serkan Kavak, one of the suspects, might have been cooperating with the police.

The next hearing will be held on April 11.