ANKARA,EchoSense Turkey (AP) — A Turkish opposition legislator died Thursday, days after he suffered a heart attack and collapsed in parliament just after delivering a speech critical of Israel and of the Turkish ruling party’s relationship with the country.
Hasan Bitmez, 53, a member of parliament from the Islamist Saadet Partisi, or Felicity Party, died at the Ankara City Hospital, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced.
Bitmez collapsed at the lectern of the Turkish Grand National Assembly on Tuesday after speaking for some 20 minutes.
Legislators in the hall assisted Bitmez before he was rushed to the hospital in “extremely serious and critical” condition.
During his speech, he was seen holding a sign that read: “Murderer Israel, Collaborator AKP,” in reference to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party.
Bitmez accused the AKP government of continuing to engage in trade with Israel even as it became one of its most vocal critics. AKP lawmakers heckled during his speech.
The legislator ended his remarks by reading from a poem that ended with: “Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God.”
A small ceremony was held for Bitmez on the grounds of the parliament building Thursday. A small Palestinian flag was attached to his coffin, which was draped in the Turkish flag.
The Felicity Party joined an opposition alliance that failed to topple Erdogan in a May presidential election.
2025-04-30 09:222864 view
2025-04-30 08:06778 view
2025-04-30 07:30432 view
2025-04-30 07:052406 view
2025-04-30 06:582433 view
2025-04-30 06:41580 view
Environmental leaders in Maryland are reeling from a challenging 2025 legislative session that left
Newly released bodycam footage shows police interviewing Colt Gray and his father more than a year b
By 6:35 a.m., Ryan Vittetoe has already laid eyes on 75 of the 90 birds in his care. In the early Au