Man found dead in Istanbul’s Gezi Park two days after eventful anniversary

A 27-year-old man was found dead in Istanbul’s Gezi Park on June 2, sparking speculation on Turkish social media two days after the eventful anniversary of the Gezi Park protests.

Passersby called the police when they noticed the man, identified as Tuğrul Tunalı, lying on the grass.

A prosecutor arrived at the scene, while an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Some eyewitnesses said the man had been lying on the grass since the previous night.

According to the initial reports published by Doğan News Agency, Tunalı suffered from epilepsy and died after choking on his tongue during a seizure.

Tuğrul Tunalı

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most common of death for people with seizures.

The exact cause of death will be determined after an autopsy at the Forensic Medicine Institution in Istanbul.

Some 25,000 police officers and 50 water cannon trucks (TOMAs) had blocked access to Gezi Park on May 31, the first anniversary of the massive protests.

Only one person, Istanbul deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), was able to enter the park on that day, as the heavy-handed measures of the police were followed by several injuries and detentions in Istanbul and Ankara.