Tag Archives: Berkin Elvan

The Guardian: Man shot dead at funeral as police and protesters clash in Istanbul

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Local residents in Okmeydani – a predominantly Alevi neighbourhood – spoke of a recent increase in clashes between the police and protesters. “There is teargas almost every night,” one resident said. “We have given up on using gardens and balconies, but often we cannot even find peace inside our homes.” A man died after being shot and critically injured while attending a [...] → Read the full article…

Bianet: Police detains children on Children’s National Day

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Police detained 4 children for chanting “Berkin Elvan is immortal” during Istanbul’s official April 23 celebrations attended by Governor Mutlu. Police detained 4 children for chanting “Berkin Elvan is immortal” during Istanbul’s official April 23 celebrations attended by Governor Mutlu. The incident took place as Governor Mutlu headed toward the podium for an award ceremony. The aforementioned children initially faced [...] → Read the full article…

The New Yorker: Grief and Outrage in Turkey – Jenna Krajeski

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Erdoğan’s strategy since Gezi has been to polarize the electorate, disowning those who speak against him and trumpeting his role as a fighter for those who support the party. But his indifference to Elvan’s fate exhibited cruelty rather than strength. On Tuesday, a fifteen-year-old Turkish Alevi named Berkin Elvan died, sparking the country’s largest anti-government protests since last summer, when [...] → Read the full article…

Al-Monitor: Erdogan’s silence shows absence of moral compass – Amberin Zaman

Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan steps off from his plane as he arrives in Elazig for an election rally of his ruling AK Party

On March 12, thousands of Turkish citizens poured into the streets of Istanbul to take part in the funeral of Berkin Elvan. The 15-year-old boy with huge dark eyes and an impish smile has emerged as a symbol of protest against the tightening grip of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Across the nation, thousands more are chanting “Killer Erdogan,” and braving water cannons [...] → Read the full article…

ROAR Magazine: Death of Turkish teenager awakens dormant Gezi spirit – Binnaz Saktanber

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The death of 15-year-old Berkin Elvan, who spent 269 days in coma after being hit by a teargas canister last June, is sparking renewed protests in Turkey. On Tuesday, Berkin Elvan died. He was 15 years old and weighed a mere 35 pounds (16 kilograms) at the time of his death. He was in a coma for the last 269 [...] → Read the full article…

New York Times: Across Turkey, New Unrest as Teenage Boy Is Buried

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An enormous outpouring of grief and antigovernment rage during the funeral procession for a teenage boy felled by a police tear-gas canister turned into another mass confrontation with the Turkish authorities on Wednesday as mourners clashed with antiriot squads in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. At least one person was killed. The new unrest came a day after protesters battled with [...] → Read the full article…

France info: Turquie, “heurts après mort d’un jeune blessé lors de la fronde”

Des dizaines de milliers de personnes ont accompagné le cercueil de Berkin Elvan lors de ses funérailles mercredi à Istanbul. © Maxppp - Sedat Suna

La mort mardi d’un jeune manifestant gravement blessé lors de la fronde anti-gouvernementale de juin dernier a suscité une vive émotion en Turquie. Des dizaines de milliers de personnes ont participé ce mercredi à ses funérailles à Istanbul. En début d’après-midi, des heurts ont éclaté avec les forces de l’ordre à Ankara. Berkin Elvan est décédé mardi après avoir passé [...] → Read the full article…

Hurriyet Daily News: Tensions high at funeral of young Gezi victim Berkin Elvan

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Thousands of people are flocking to Istanbul’s Okmeydanı neighborhood for the funeral procession of Berkin Elvan, who died yesterday after 269 days in coma. Some groups put up barricades on the roads leading to a local cemevi, a house of worship for the Alevi community, where the funeral ceremony has started at 12 p.m. Live footage of the funeral can [...] → Read the full article…

Human Rights Watch: Dispatches – Turkey – Justice for Berkin Elvan

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Fifteen-year-old Berkin Elvan has died after 269 days in a coma. The Istanbul schoolboy incurred a head injury that doctors say was most likely inflicted by police shooting a teargas canister directly at him at close range.  The incident happened during the June 2013 protests in many Istanbul neighborhoods and in cities across Turkey, triggered by the police’s violent dispersal [...] → Read the full article…

Guardian: Turkish police fire teargas to quell protests after boy, 15, dies

The coffin of Berkin Elvan is carried through Istanbul. He died in hospital today, nine months after being hit by a police teargas cartridge. Photograph: Emrah Gurel/AP

Berkin Elvan has been in coma since June last year when he was hit by a teargas cartridge during anti-government protests in Istanbul Fresh clashes between Turkish police and protesters have erupted in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara on Tuesday , after a 15-year-old boy died from a head injury sustained during anti-government protests last summer. Berkin Elvan, then aged [...] → Read the full article…