Fine to the father on hunger strike for taking his son's body

70-year-old Kemal Gün is on hunger strike in Dersim for 82 days, demanding to take his son's body. Gün is fined to 18,387 lira due to “occupation of public space”.

Kemal Gün is on hunger strike for 82 days for taking the body of his son who was killed in air operations in Dersim.

“I have a right to proper burial like every one”

Speaking to Doğan News Agency, Gün stated that his health is increasingly deteriorating and he just wants his son to have a grave:

“I am on hunger strike here, because I want to take my dearest son's bones. They should give his bones to me. Once he has a grave, I will end the hunger strike.

“I have a right to proper burial like every one and I demand that right. My child is killed; his political or ideological views doesn't matter on this point. He should be buried.

“As his parents, we want him to have a grave and we wish to go and pray upon his grave.”

“I handed the bones over the state, I want them back”

“The prosecutor came with us to the shelter in which my son was killed. We looked for bodies. In the shelter, I collected the bones of my son with my hands and handed over them to the state. I want them back.

“They took the bones to Forensic Medicine Institute. Now, they say that they will run DNA tests on the bones. They were all broken, shattered and burnt. How will they run DNA test on them?”

“This is a park, I have a right to sit in this park”

Gün stated that his health is increasingly deteriorating and he was fined to 227 lira for each day he stayed in Seyit Rıza Square.

“The state imposed 227 lira administrative fine on me for each day I sit in this park. They say I am occupying public space. However, this is a park, I have a right to sit in this park.”

His health is deteriorating

“My health is increasingly deteriorating. I have more and more aches. My legs are hurting more. I am too exhausted to walk. People take me to toilet with a wheelchair. Sometimes I walk with a stick. I am losing weight.

“I am constantly harassed. It is like psychological torture. Somebody should stop this torture. I won't leave this place until the bones of my son is given to me. I will keep going until I die. I have no political purpose, this is not a political action. My sole purpose it to take my son's bones.”