Second fatality, thousands injured as police try to curb Turkey protests

[G_j]

http://rt.com/news/turkey-protester-dead-clashes-183/

Second fatality, thousands injured as police try to curb Turkey protests
Published time: June 04, 2013 03:24

A second fatality has been confirmed as protests in Turkey enter their fifth day. With several thousands already reported injured Turks continue to flood social media with video, images, and allegations of police brutality.

On Monday, the Union of Turkish Doctors confirmed the death of 22-year-old Abdullah Cömert in the city of Antakya, which is located in the province of Hatay, near Turkey’s border with Syria.

The fatality was the second so far to be confirmed since protests flared up on Friday in Istanbul and Ankara, and sprouted demonstrations nationwide.

According to Turkish news reports Cömert died of injuries sustained after being shot by unidentified gunmen, though many users via social media were placing the blame on local police forces.

..more..

[G_j]

1. US voices concern about police use of force

http://m.guardiannews.com/world/2013/jun/03/turkey-protests-us-voices-concern

Turkey protests continue as US voices concern about police use of force

Following fifth day of demonstrations, Turkish PM lashes out at critics and John Kerry calls for restraint

Tuesday 4 June 2013 00.22 EDT

The US has called for an investigation into the political violence in Turkey and urged restraint on all sides following the fifth day of escalating nationwide protests against the rule of the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In remarks that are likely to provoke Erdogan, the US secretary of state, John Kerry, said: "We are concerned by the reports of excessive use of force by police.

We obviously hope that there will be a full investigation of those incidents and full restraint from the police force."

Earlier on Monday, Erdogan warned protesters against taking the country's political disputes on to the streets, signalling he could mobilise his mass popular support to crush the demonstrations.

..more..