24.08.2026 23:10
During a police intervention against relatives of fallen soldiers and disabled veterans protesting for their personal rights in Ankara, a scuffle broke out. Selçuk Türkoğlu, an İYİ Party deputy from Bursa who was supporting the protesters, fell to the ground during the intervention, fell ill, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The incidents were captured on camera, and in the footage, a plainclothes individual is seen slapping Türkoğlu while he was on the ground.
Police intervened in the action held in Ankara by relatives of fallen soldiers and disabled veterans demanding improved personal rights. Tension arose between the demonstrators and the police during the intervention.
İYİ PARTİ (GOOD PARTY) DEPUTY TÜRKOĞLU TAKEN TO HOSPITAL İYİ Party Bursa Deputy Selçuk Türkoğlu, who was supporting the action, also fell to the ground in the area where a scuffle occurred during the intervention. Türkoğlu, who then fell ill, was taken to Hacettepe University Hospital by ambulance.
THE SCRUFFLE CAPTURED ON CAMERA The events during the scuffle were recorded by cameras in the vicinity. In the images, Türkoğlu was seen falling to the ground during the scuffle. Later, a civilian-clothed person was also captured on camera slapping Türkoğlu, who was on the ground.
STATEMENT FROM İYİ PARTİ ON HIS HEALTH CONDITION: HE HAS MORE THAN ONE WOUND ON HIS HEAD İYİ Party Deputy Chairman Cenk Özatıcı, who made a statement in front of the hospital, gave information about Türkoğlu's health condition.
Özatıcı said the following: "As you know, for the last 45 days, our veterans have been in a struggle for their rights. This first started at Güvenpark. They were driven away from there. Then they were forcibly taken to the Gazi Uyum Evi (Veteran Harmony House). After that, they were placed under a blockade. They went to Kurtuluş Park. Today, while leaving Kurtuluş Park and marching, our veterans were again placed under a blockade. While our Bursa Deputy Selçuk Türkoğlu, our Deputy Chairman Kevsar Ofluoğlu, and I were there today with our veterans to support them, the course of the events unfolded like this: Although Selçuk Türkoğlu's advisor showed his official identity and document, stating he was his official advisor, and although our Deputy confirmed he was his advisor, they first intervened to detain him. Deputy Selçuk prevented this.
But then, knowingly and intentionally, despite knowing that the person there was a member of parliament and that the person next to him was his official advisor, and despite the presentation of identification, while trying to detain the advisor with a sudden attack and disproportionate violence, Deputy Selçuk intervened to save his advisor. At that point, Deputy Selçuk was beaten and knocked to the ground, and there are images of this. He was knocked down and his head was hit on the ground. He has a wound on his head, indeed more than one wound. There are images and photos. And he was beaten while on the ground. We came from behind and tried to intervene to save our Deputy Selçuk. Because there, in the images, I myself am saying, 'He is a member of parliament.' I mean, the person you knocked to the ground, dragged on the floor, and beat is a member of parliament. I am pointing and saying 'Our deputy,' trying to intervene.
"PROBLEMS ARE STILL BEING EXPERIENCED WITH HIS BLOOD PRESSURE DROPPING" I was also pushed back by three police officers. Our deputy was being kicked, intervened upon, and subjected to violence on the ground. And after that, unfortunately, Selçuk Türkoğlu, because our deputy already has four stents in his heart and already has a heart condition, experienced a heart spasm or a health problem due to the violence and intervention there, and was taken to the hospital emergency room. Currently, he is in the hospital, in the emergency room. Problems are still being experienced with his blood pressure dropping. His health condition is still not very good. But I had the opportunity to briefly speak with our Deputy. Look, let me say this clearly and openly: Right now, while we are fighting to defend the rights of veterans, while we are being dragged on the ground and police are intervening against us, right now, as we speak, condolence tents are being set up for terrorists. As we speak, demonstrations are being held with posters of Öcalan. Fireworks are being set off. Anniversary celebrations are being held for the day the PKK attacked Turkish soldiers.
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH" The government that tolerates this, the Interior Ministry that tolerates this, the police that tolerates this, does not tolerate the veterans' search for their rights and drags the representative of the Turkish nation on the ground. That's what's happening. The representative of the Turkish nation, while defending the rights of veterans, is dragged on the ground, subjected to violence, and beaten, even though it is known that he is a deputy. Of course, we are at the hospital now, but let me also say this clearly: Even if you drag us on the ground, beat us, or take us into custody, we will not give up this struggle for our rights. We are on one side, once and for all. We are on one side. We are on the side of the veterans' struggle and effort. We are on the side of the memory of our martyrs. And we are against. We are also against this process of betrayal. We are also against the declaration of the terrorist leader as the 'founding leader.' We are completely against Turkey being dragged into such a betrayal while veterans are treated this way and the representatives of the Turkish nation are treated this way. If necessary, against all forces, against all powers, even if alone, even if solitary, we will continue to struggle with all our strength under the leadership of our Chairman Mr. Dervişoğlu, with our deputies and deputy chairmen, until the very end. Our determination is absolute."
Cenk Özatıcı TÜRKOĞLU: AS LONG AS GOD GRANTS ME LIFE, I WILL NEVER GIVE UP MY STRUGGLE FOR RIGHTS ON BEHALF OF THE NATION On the other hand, following the events, Türkoğlu, who made a post on his social media account including a photo of the moment İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu visited him in his hospital room, said, "Those who know, know; we have always been among those who say our concern is the homeland, our concern is the nation throughout our lives. At Kurtuluş Park, where we went to support the struggle of the families of martyrs and our veterans, we also became a target of the disproportionate force used by the law enforcement officers. We got our share of the blows with fists, kicks, and shields. The days will come when I will, of course, seek legal answers from the perpetrators of the incident, whose grudge they were exacting and why they did this. Even at the cost of my life, as long as God grants me life, I will never give up my struggle for rights on behalf of the nation."