Reporter Shot by Police Say Witnesses

University student Ilyas Aktas who was heavily wounded by gunfire while covering the Diyarbakir protests for the Devrimci Demokrasi (Revolutionary Democracy) newspaper has been declared "brain dead" and is being held in hospital in critical condition. Aktas was covering the protests held for three demonstrators killed during the 28 March funeral ceremonies of 14 PKK members when he received a bullet wound in the head.

The newspaper's owner and editor Erdal Guler, reacting to the use of firearms by security forces, said witnesses saw Aktas being shot and that the gunfire came from where the police had taken position while trying to suppress the demonstrators who were using stones and fire bombs.

A bullet struck 24 year old Aktas beside his left eye during the 30 March incident and he was taken to hospital. Blinded, Aktas was transferred from Diyarbakir State Hospital to the Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Hospital intensive care unit in critical condition. Doctors there declared him brain dead.

Threatened a day before

A 2nd grade architecture student in Diyarbakir's Dicle University Aktas worked as a voluntary reporter at the local office of the bi-monthly newspaper that started publication in 2000. He covered press conferences and other events for the newspaper.

The newspaper issued a statement saying that a day before Aktas fell target to gunfire; he was threatened for intervening to assist a child who was being indiscriminately hit. The statement said Aktas was told by the police involved "we know who you are, watch your step, you'll see what happens." (EÖ/AD/II/YE)