It has been seven years since the Gezi Protests and the search of justice of the families who lost their children during the protests as a result of police buritality continues. People taking to the streets to be in solidarity with the resistance that had begun and to shout out their demands in almost every city of Turkey faced police brutality. 12 people died in the protests while thousands of people were injured. 

 

One of the people who died during the protests was Berkin Elvan, who was just 14 years old. On 6 June 2013, Berkin was seriously injured by a gas cannister fired by the police while he was going to the market to buy bread from his home in Okmeydanı, İstanbul. Being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, Elvan who was in a coma for 269 days have lost kis life on March 11, 2014.

 

At the 9th hearing held on January 23, 2019 in İstanbul 17th High Criminal Court, a special technical expert delegation report stated that Berkin Elvan was shot by the police officer Fatih Dalgalı. However the court ignored the expert report and rejected the request of arrest on the grounds that the defendant was a police officer.

 

Speaking about the 7th year anniversary of Gezi Protests, mother Gülsüm Elvan said: "What we feel about the Gezi Protests will never change. Although we can not take to the streets due to the coronavirus, Gezi is our honour, our labour. Gezi is the people. We will remember it the same way every year. No one can judge Gezi Protests or defile it."

 

Mother Elvan mentioning 18 year old Syrian Ali el Hemdan who was shot by the police in the Seyhan district of Adana on April 27 because he did not comply with the stop warning of the police, said: "Children are being murdered by the police out on the street before everybody's eyes in Turkey. I have a call for the authorities. Withdraw this unlimited authority given to the police.  Many children will die as long as the police have unlimited authority."

 

 

MA / Sadiye Eser