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Protests in Turkey:Generation Gezi behind bars / Breaking News

TURKEY-PROTEST-UNREST

He wanted to go home, he ended up in jail Istanbul: Volkan Ozer, 30, had to undress, was not allowed to go to the bathroom and saw how badly the prisoners were treated. Until a week ago Volkan was apolitical. Now he is part of the generation Gezi.

Volkan Ozer now know how it feels to be arrested: The wrists ache. He now knows what it’s like to stay in a prison cell: Sometime you sleep then but. And he knows how much he can believe in justice: not at all.

Volkan Ozer, 30, is a film producer. He turns commercials for Red Bull and lives in Cihangir, a district of Istanbul, close to Istiklal Street. When asked what political view he has, then he says: none at all. But he is more worried about his country than ever before. “This is about human rights,” he says.

The last few weeks have made him angry, the police harassment, the water cannons, the tear gas. And not only him: Turkish protests have brought together a generation politicized in record time. Educated, multilingual, cross-linked. Young people who have almost never protested before Gezi – and now go on the road constantly. Young people like Volkan Özer.

On Saturday Özer sits in the shade of an awning, put the sunglasses in her hair; A waitress brings orange juice, honey and cheese. He will tell you how it’s gotten into in the protests, jail. At the police his story can hardly be checked. . On the phone the Istanbul police press office says only: To the Volkan Ozer case they would not comment. But there are photos, statements from friends and his lawyer, and reports from other prisoners.

Turkey Gezi Park Protests: “Do you have a press pass?”

Proteste in der TŸrkei

Before last Monday, it was the day on which the Gezipark hours and was only officially opened then closed, Özer just came from work. It was a beautiful day. So he decided to walk home. On Istiklal marched heavily armed police, as for weeks.

Volkan Özer was in a side street stand, he tells it, he wanted to make a few shots of this madness in his city. Since rushed a police officer. “Do you have a press pass?” He asked. “I’m not from the press,” said Ozer. “Then here you are not allowed to take pictures,” said the policeman. Suddenly flew a bottle and shattered on the asphalt. People were running, it was noisy, the policeman shouted at him.

“It’s because of you!”

“I’m just photos.”

“Only photos you’ll write on Facebook and Twitter that we shot with tear gas.”

“Have you but also,” Ozer said.

A sentence too much. Four police officers clutched his arms and dragged him on the Istiklal. “Where are you taking me?” Said Ozer. They did not answer. Özer knew that you have to scream his name during arrests. So he shouted: “Volkan Ozer!” The louder he got, the more squeezed the officers his hands, he recalls. Passers photograph the arrest, sent the pictures on Twitter.

Turkey Gezi Park Protests:To ten men in a cell

At the police station to Özer had to move out, it was after midnight. His clothes was studied. He had stairs, down stairs, sign forms. Like a labyrinth. Tomorrow they take me to court, he thought.

At two in the morning he lay with a clock other prisoners in a cell, he reported it. They were also arrested that day on Istiklal. Some slept on benches, others on yoga mats. Some of them had experience with these things. You’ll be fine, they said. The heat was in the cell. “What about the air conditioning?” Ozer said. Broken, said the overseer.

The next morning, it was probably neun clock, they knew it not, for they had taken away the watches, Ozer passed through the cell. Policemen came and went. Özer had to go to the bathroom, but the guards would not let him.

The other prisoners go on hunger strike. And there was not hungry anyway Özer sheer stress, he joined them. They sat around, talked, slept. The guards took beans and rice. No one ate. Tomorrow they will take me to court, thought Özer.

The police wanted to take fingerprints and take pictures. Individual prisoners resist. Ozer saw police turn their arms. “The do not behave like humans,” he says. “Rather like robots.”

You did not bring him to court. Not on Monday. Not on Tuesday. Not on Wednesday. In one of the nights, it was quite two clock, they were awakened. You can now make a call, said the overseer. “At this hour?” Said Ozer.

In the penultimate night Özer then experienced a miracle. A policeman came to her cell, he spoke softly and gently. “I’m one of you,” he said. “Have no fear, on Thursday we will bring you to judgment.”

Indeed Özer was then on the Thursday before a prosecutor for the first time in his life, he was nervous. His lawyer presented photos of the arrest. They were proof that Volkan had not resisted. The proof of his innocence.

Volkan Ozer is free now. But his confidence in the state Republic of Turkey he has lost. “The Turkish judicial system is like a business,” he says. “The boss instructs the employees perform.”

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