Category Archives: Accounts of violence

Journalist Musa Ağacık got attacked by Erdogan’s body guards!

1000809_322848724512851_798268520_n

After PM Tayyip Erdoğan’s meeting with the Wisdom Council in his office at Dolmabahçe Palace, journalist Musa Ağacık, who asked some questions to the members of the Wisdom Council, got attacked by Erdoğan’s body guards. He asked a question, got beaten up: After PM Tayyip Erdoğan’s meeting with the Wisdom Council in his office at Dolmabahçe Palace, journalist Musa Ağacık [...] → Read the full article…

Radikal: “If I responded to the violent police officer who shot me with violence, I wouldn’t be any different from him”

umur-can-ersahin

Umur Can Erşahin, who was shot with a tear gas cartridge on his head during Gezi Park protests, says, “I will not change because of this incident.”  Umur Can Erşahin, 27, suffered from a cerebral trauma and hemorrhage after being hit by a tear gas cartridge which was fired from a distance of 10 metres. Erşahin says: “If violently attack [...] → Read the full article…

Violence Stories from Turkey: “On those days while in Gezi Park protesters were playing games, people of Ankara were playing dodge-ball with pepper gas.”

Murat-İltir

What happened at the hospital? It turned out that my arm was broken and had to be operated. And the following day, I was discharged. The following week I returned to the hospital for an examination and changing the dressing of my arm. The hospital employees wanted to look at my ID card. When they realized that this was about [...] → Read the full article…

Hürriyet: Mustafa Sarisülük: “The only thing that is left for the PM to do is to give the murderer a medal of honor!”

images

Today we continue our “Witnesses of Gezi” series with Mustafa Sarisuluk, the brother of Ethem Sarisuluk, who was killed in Ankara. He was very calm but the things he recounted devastated me. You lost your brother, Ethem Sarisuluk. We would like to offer our condolences to you and your family. The policeman who shot him has been identified. Everyone watched [...] → Read the full article…

Radikal: Driver ‘considered a Gezi protester’ battered by police, explains the violence he suffered through body language.

fft64_mf1518376

Hakan Yaman’s lawyer and wife stated that he was battered by 5 police officers while passing through a street during the Gezi Park protests in Sancaktepe. They added that he lost an eye due to this violence. İstanbul – Hakan Yaman, a school bus driver, ‘considered to be a protester’ by the police, was battered and injured in Sancaktepe during [...] → Read the full article…

Berkin’s father says, “when he recovers, I’ll name him Ethem.”

Father of Berkin, a young boy who was shot by a tear gas cartridge, says: ‘When he recovers I’ll name him Ethem’ Berkin Elvan, 14, left home one morning to buy bread but could not come back. He was shot by a tear gas cartridge. He has been in the intesive care unit for 10 days. Berkin’s father decribed what [...] → Read the full article…

Hurriyet: “They sprayed gas at my father as if he were an insect and caused his death.”

We continue with Gezi testimonies. What is your name? Ayşe Önder   How old are you? 39. What do you do? I am a compositor. I compose soundtracks for feature films and TV shows. Together with my brother, we’ve composed the soundtracks of “Şubat” and the Turkish version of “Desperate Housewives”. Education? I graduated from Hacettepe University conservatory. I got [...] → Read the full article…

Yurt: The police officer who shot Ethem wasn’t arrested.

ethem

The police officer  identified as the killer of Ethem Sarısülük has been cleared of all charges. Police officer, Ahmet Ş. has been released on grounds of “self-defense”, despite the expert’s report stating that “The bullet didn’t bounce, it was directly aimed at the head.” Murderer of Ethem Sarısülük, an Ostim worker who had been shot in the head with a [...] → Read the full article…

Attack on individuals commemorating casualties

1016136_10200804696652781_861578944_n

  In Eskişehir, people gathered in front of Espark at 20:00 to commemorate those who lost their lives. Demonstrators, marching from Espark, were are attacked on Sakarya Street with beer bottles and knives. During the squabble between attackers and demonstrators, one person was injured and an ambulance was called. Demonstrators didn’t leave Sakarya Street until the ambulance arrived. After the [...] → Read the full article…

They were all hitting and kicking

fft64_mf1513391

Police target journalists during social upheaval interventions. This is my story of being beaten up by the riot police while I was on my way home following the commemoration gathering at Taksim Square. The events which began yesterday evening, right after the police intervention in Taksim square during the commemoration gatherings, continued until late at night. However, the huge crowd [...] → Read the full article…