Davut Turkel, while being taken to testify and allegedly died after slamming his head on the stairs to the courthouse.Turkel, who was arrested during the operation against the workers, remained in a coma for a long time. An operation was held on July 13, 2017, against the Mediterranean Employees Association (AKCADER), which the workers founded in Antalya. The association members, the majority of whom were workers trying to earn a living with the minimum wage, were detained while their homes were raided in a chain of police officers at 6.30 am that day.

Davut Turkel was detained. During the prolonged detainment of 90 people on that day, 59-year-old Turkey lost his life in detainment. On

July 24, 2017, the 12th day of detainment, Turkel was rushed to the hospital where he went into a coma. According to the information given by the Police to Davut’s family, he fell and hit his head while being taken to testify at the courthouse. Worker Davut Turkel, after ten days in intensive hospital care, lost his life on August 3, 2017.

While being taken to court to justify being retained by more than two officers, falling and hitting his head on the stairway has sparked questions. No further investigation on how he fell and hit his head was made by the Police. Turkel family was given a report stating, “The cause of death, Cerebral Hemorrhage.” A torture method by the Police is known by many, putting on handcuffs tight and wrong and pushing the detainees’, scraping their heads on the walls. How worker Davut Turkel died sparked many questions by the public, but no further adequate investigation that would reveal Turkel’s form of death was given to the public. Another situation that drew the public’s attention was immediately after Davut Turkel was taken to the Emergency Room; before he appeared, the prosecutor and the judge without even taking a statement, Turkel was urgently released.

The sudden death of Turkel, who had the low pay workers’ salary which could hardly support a family of three daughters and a sick wife, left the family in tears.

Resources: http://aktifhaber.com/iskence/isci-davut-turkel-gozaltinda-hayatini-kaybetti-h102287.html