Young man dies in Turkish protests

PanARMENIAN.Net - A 22-year-old Turkish man, Ahmet Atakan, died on Monday, Sept 9 in clashes with police during a demonstration held in Hatay province in support of protests against the construction of a new highway across the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) campus, Today’s Zaman reported.

A group of protesters, including Atakan, gathered in Antakya Uğur Mumcu Square and marched towards the Armutlu neighborhood shouting slogans. Police intervened in the protest with water cannon and tear gas when the group attacked them with stones and fireworks, the HDN said.

Atakan was heavily injured in the clash and taken to Antakya State Hospital, where he subsequently died.

The nature of Atakan's injuries is still unknown but relatives of the young man said he died from being hit by a tear gas canister fired by a police officer.

On Tuesday, Adnan Boynukara, an official from the Justice Ministry, made a statement on Twitter saying that Atakan's autopsy has been completed and initial findings show that he died after falling from a significant height.

The ODTÜ project was planned by the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality as a link between Anadolu Boulevard and the Konya highway in order to relieve traffic in the city. The campus is known for its abundance of trees.

Nationwide protests in Turley started on May 28, 2013, initially to oppose to the urban development plan for Istanbul's Taksim Gezi Park. The protests were sparked by outrage at a brutal eviction of a sit-in at the park protesting against the plan. The protests transformed into riots when a group occupying the park was attacked with tear gas and water cannons by police. The subjects of the protests then broadened beyond the development of Taksim Gezi Park into wider anti-government demonstrations.

Since 2011, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased restrictions on freedom of speech, freedom of the press, Internet use, television content, and the right to free assembly.

The government has been seen by certain constituencies as increasingly Islamist and authoritarian, An education reform strengthening Islamic elements and courses in public primary and high schools was approved by the parliament in 2012, with Erdogan saying that he wanted to foster a "pious generation." The sale and consumption of alcohol in university campuses has been banned. People have been given jail sentences for blasphemy.