AMED - Mehmet Akar, son of Hacire Akar who claims that "his son was abducted and taken to the mountains to join the PKK", staging a sit-in in front of Diyarbakır HDP Building, set himself on fire yesterday in the Sur district of Diyarbakır against the isolation on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
It was learned that the young man who set himself on fire in the Goat Bastion in Sur last night was Mehmet Akar, whose family claims that he was "abducted by the PKK and taken to the mountains" and forced into a marriage by his family at the age of 25. Following the incident that took place late at night, hundreds of police and medical teams were sent to the area. Akar was taken to Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospital by the medical teams. It was learned that Akar, who is undergoing treatment, has a second degree burns on his body and his condition is severe. While Akar's family is waiting in front of the hospital, the police are blockading the enterance of the hospital.
AKAR'S LETTER: BIJÎ SEROK APO
A letter written by Akar was found. In his letter, Akar stated that he took the action against the absolute isolation on PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Akar's handwritten letter in Kurdish included the following statements: “Hello, friends. I want to salute the action of Heval Bubo (*). There is no news from Leader Apo. Neither his family nor his lawyers are allowed to visit him in prison. Applications are rejected without presenting any reason. We are now worried about the health of Leader Apo.
I will set myself on fire at 21.21 at the Goat's Bastion in the Sur district of Diyarbakır against this isolation. The light of the fire that burn my body shall shed a light on İmralı. My hope is that this action will lead to the physical freedom of Leader Apo.
Biji Serok Apo
Biji Serok Apo
Biji Serok Apo”
IT WAS THE FIRST FAMILY BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE HDP BUILDING
Mehmet Akar's mother, Hacire Akar, went to the Diyarbakır Police Department on August 22, 2019 and filed a missing persons report claiming that her son was "abducted to the mountains". Mother Akar, who went in front of the HDP Diyarbakır Provincial Organization building after her application, accused the HDP members, claiming that her son did not come out after entering the party building and was kidnapped from there to the mountains to join the PKK. Anadolu Agency (AA) and other pro-government media outlets also reported news claiming that Mehmet Akar was "abducted to the mountains".
AKAR: THEY ARE FORCING ME TO BE MARRIED
However, it was revealed that Mehmet Akar was being forced into an unwanted marriage. Mehmet Akar, who reached the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) on August 23, 2019, condemned the news about him in the pro-government media and the sit-in protest started by his family and stated that his reason for leaving home was because he was being forced into a marriage he did not want. Akar who went to stay with his sister in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır said: "They came to my sister's house because I refused to get married to a person I did not want. They insulted me, confiscated my phone, wallet, all my money. They didn't let me out of the house. I refused to eat."
'NO ONE ABDUCTED ME'
Stating that his family's allegation that he was abducted was a lie back then, Akar said: "No one abducted me. It has nothing to do with the HDP. It is wrong for them to be there. I told them I had nothing to do with them anymore. I didn't even leave the city. I am here in Diyarbakır. I will no way get back in touch with them. They shouldn't blame anyone. I chose my own life. I refuse to be forced into marriage."
AKAR REFUTED ANADOLU AGENCY
Refuting the reports released by the Anadolu Agency, Akar said: "They shouldn't make fake news. I am in Diyarbakır. I am here. They shouldn't slander anyone."
HE WAS HELD IN CUSTODY FOR 8 DAYS
Akar was taken into custody one day after his interview and was held in Diyarbakır Security Directorate for 8 days. Akar was released under house arrest with "electronic handcuffs" after 8 days of detention.
HE WAS FORCED INTO MARRIAGE
Akar was later forced into marriage by his family on October 19, 2019. Deputy Minister of Interior Muhterem İnce and former Diyarbakır Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, former Sur District Governor Abdullah Çiftçi and AKP former Provincial Chair Süleyman Serdar Budak attended the wedding.
Government officials announced that they gave Mehmet Akar a job at that time, but it was learned that Akar made a living by working as a taxi driver.
* Bubo Taş: Taş set himself on fire on January 12 in the Small Industrial Estate of Artuklu district of Mardin. In the video he took before his action, Taş stated that he set himself on fire against the isolation imposed upon PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.