Police fired gas bomb aiming at our faces

Police violence on Gezi Park resistance has caused many Istanbullies suffer severe injuries. Burak Ünveren, a PhD holder research assistant at Faculty of Economics of Yıldız Technical University, and his student Selim Poyraz both lost one eye due to plastic bullets and gas canister fired by the police. Ünveren and Poyraz are currently under medical treatment at Şişli Etfal Hospital, and stated that they were specifically aimed by the police.

Burak Ünveren: “Just as I stepped out of my house, I was directly targeted at a covered passage. Police fired a gas bomb aiming at my face. I believe that the police did this by purpose because the gas canister hit me right through my face. I am not the only one in this hospital. There are many similar casualties here. I think we were subjected to systematic and conscious police violence. Right beneath my eyehole, on my cheek and jaw there are fractures. I lost my right eye; it is going to be removed and will be replaced by prosthesis.”

THEY AIMED AT MY RIGHT EYE

Mehmet Reha Baran, fashion designer: “I felt obliged to go out to the streets after I called it a day off at work. I wanted to be there at the square, as a form of resistance against the way ruling power treats people, looks down on people or ignores them. There was very intense tear gas firing. I got myself to a side street. Police fired a gas canister and shot me on the eye. Two people, whom I didn’t know, took me to the hospital and immediately went into operation. My sight is not well. I don’t regret the things I’ve been going through.”

Sedat Yılmaz, waiter: “We were like one beating heart. We resisted quite good and we will reisist until the end. We were on the streets to show our opposition to the government and its anti-people policies. They first fired water cannons and tear gas. We pulled back and when things started to calm down we moved forward again. I didn’t notice the police officer hiding behind a tree; there were around 5 or 6 meters between us and he fired the gas canister aiming directly on my face.”

Ergin Şahin, a medical worker and father of three: “We, as the people, are not sensitive to certain issues so I thought that I should go to that demonstration and claim our rights on the things which are belong to us. We have to say that’s enough! They used to say that they don’t oppress people, isn’t this real oppression? People lost their eyes, had their feet amputated, injured from their chests; who’s going to take care of these people? I have to stay in and not work for 3 months; who’s going to take care of me? The PM is responsible for all this.”

Vedat Oğuz, 18, lost one eye by a gas canister which was fired from close range of 5-6 meters, during the demonstrations in Antalya last Saturday evening.

Police and the protestors stopped the clashes as Oğuz whose face was covered with blood collapsed and fell down. Vedat Oğuz was taken to the Akdeniz University Hospital by an ambulance and immediately went into the treatment.

Prof. Dr. Cemil Apaydın, Head of Ophthalmology Department of Akdeniz University, declared that the gas canister which was fired from close range caused Vedat Oğuz lose one eye.

1370349474Prof. said that there were fractures in bones around the eyehole and nose, and Vedat Oğuz’s right eye has completely lost sight and together with otolaryngologists and plastic surgeons they operated Oğuz in order to be able to keep the eye in place. If the process goes well, prosthesis will be placed in 6 months.

Family starts a legal procedure

Abdülkerim Oğuz, Vedat’s father, said that his son went out with his friends on that day and continued as follows:

“I don’t know how he got involved in the events and why he was there. We heard from him after he was taken to hospital. People who took him to hospital said that the police fired from close range aiming at him. My son lost an eye at such a young age. I want the responsible ones to be accounted for this act. Through the lawyers, I will file a criminal complaint.”

Gizem UYSAL
04 June 2013
Source: http://www.birgun.net/

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