Harun Uzun (63), a 35-year civil servant who was arrested in Trabzon for allegedly beating Tonya Mayor Osman Beşel in his office room, said in his statement: “On the day I was working, I was going to the pharmacy with H.K. to have my blood pressure checked. We met the mayor outside. After the blood pressure measurement, we returned to our shift. The president asked for defense for violation of working hours. We went to the office to explain the situation. The chairman said, ‘I’m exercising my right to be annoying, you didn’t vote for me’. When he waved his hand at me, I grabbed the chairman’s collar to protect myself, thinking he would hit me. I did not hit him.”
The incident occurred on May 24 at the office of Tonya Municipality Mayor in Orta Mahalle, the center of Tonya district. Osman Beşel, Mayor of Tonya Municipality, allegedly filed a report against Harun Uzun and Harun K. (64), officers of the district municipality, on the grounds that they did not comply with working hours and asked for their defense. Reacting to the report, the 2 officers entered the office room and argued with Beşel. One of the officers allegedly attacked Mayor Beşel with his head and fist. The officers were removed from the office after other municipality officials intervened. Police and medical teams were dispatched to the municipality. Mayor Beşel, who had a swollen lip, was discharged after treatment at the district state hospital. While Mayor Beşel received a battering report and filed a complaint, 2 officers were detained by police teams. In the investigation initiated by Tonya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 2 officers were referred to the courthouse after their interrogation was completed. Harun Uzun was arrested on the charge of ‘deprivation of liberty by force’, while Harun K. was released on judicial control conditions.
TESTIMONIES REVEALED
The testimonies of 35-year civil servant Harun Uzun, civil servant Harun K. and other witnesses who were arrested in the investigation launched for allegedly beating Mayor Beşel in his office room have emerged. Explaining what happened on the day of the incident, Harun Uzun said in his defense at the prosecutor’s and judge’s office, “I have been working as a civil servant in the auxiliary services class in the municipality for 35 years. We worked with Mayor Beşel for about 10 years. On the day of the incident, we were on our way to the pharmacy with H.K. to have my blood pressure checked. While walking outside, we met the mayor. After the blood pressure measurement, we returned to our shift. The president asked for our defense for violating working hours. We were served with a document to this effect. Accordingly, we went to the office to explain the situation. We waited for the guests in the room to leave. There are two doors in the office, and we entered through the open door on the information side of the office. When the President was seeing the guests off, I closed and locked the door. I did not lock the door to commit a crime. That door was kept locked so that the President would not be disturbed. The president was standing up, we told him ‘Why are you taking legal action’. The president told us ‘I am exercising my right to be annoying, you didn’t vote for me’. When he waved his hand at me, I grabbed the mayor’s collar to protect myself, thinking he was going to hit me. They intervened and there was a scuffle between us. We had only gone to the room to talk. I did not have any weapon on me. I am innocent,” he said.
‘I TRIED TO SEPARATE THE PARTIES BY INTERVENING’
The other officer, Harun K., who was released with judicial control, said, “We showed the mayor the documents and started to talk. Everyone was standing during the conversation. The mayor raised his hands and made a gesture like ‘Go away’ and told us ‘I’m exercising my right to be annoying, you didn’t vote for me anyway’. Harun grabbed the chairman’s hands, there was a scuffle, he did not hit the chairman in any way. I intervened and tried to separate the parties. I told him that this was unbecoming. Harun Uzun did not have any weapon on him. He did not reach for the gun by putting his hand on his waist. I had a licensed gun, but I never took it out of my waistband or showed it to anyone. I did not see any injury or bleeding on the president’s face after the incident. We did not take any action to injure the president; I am innocent,” he defended himself.
‘HE TRIED TO HEADBUTT BUT COULD NOT HIT THE PRESIDENT’
A.İ., a municipality staff member who entered the room upon Mayor Beşel’s call, described the moments he witnessed and said, “I went in when the mayor called out. I took the mayor aside and hugged Harun Uzun. At this time, Harun Uzun tried to headbutt but could not hit the mayor. Other officers intervened and we took 2 officers out. I did not see a gun or anyone attempting to pull a gun in the incident.”
A.Ç., the police officer who entered the room, said, “They were pushing each other by holding each other’s arms. I did not hear any threatening or insulting words. No one hit each other during the turmoil while I was in the room. Harun Uzun tried to headbutt the mayor, but could not hit him.”
ALL MAYORS WILL GO TO TONYA
Meanwhile, after the incident that became an agenda in the city, under the leadership of Trabzon Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç, all mayors in Trabzon will pay a support visit to Tonya Mayor Osman Beşel in his office today.
