May Day Intervention Controversy Resumes as Injured Recover

The discharge of May Day police intervention victims Dilan Alp and Meral Dönmez created controversy in Turkey as family members and advocated claimed that Alp was discharged too early and police attempted to detain Dönmez.

Dilan Alp, a 17 year-old student who was hit by a police gas bomb on May Day, has been discharged from Medicalpark Hospital in Bahçelievler after she was transferred from intensive unit to wards.

"They said there is no need for Alp to remain in the hospital once she is out of intensive care unit. We wanted her to stay in the hospital for a little longer. They objected first. Then they said there are no rooms left. We settled the issue with the hospital administration but then we were told that it was cancelled," advocate Umut Alkaç told bianet.

Following the discharge, Alp's family transferred her to Private Işık Medical Center on their own. 

Canan Kaftancıoğlu, an ER medical doctor at Private Işık Medical Center on, told bianet  that it would be medically suitable for her to remain in the hospital for a couple of days.

"It would also be socially good for her," she said.

Ali Ekber Alp, Dilan Alp's father, filed a lawsuit against Istanbul governor, complaining that his statement on her daughter were "accusing" and aimed to turn her into a target.

"Prosecutor ordered Dönmez's detention"

In the meantime, Meral Dönmez's lawyers claimed that police attempted to ask for her testimony following her hospital discharge. They claimed that later on a prosecutor ordered her detention, a disagreement which was later on resolved.

The incident occurred as police was alerted as Dönmez's discharge was told to her family.

"Lawyers interrupted and avoided the detention," Alkaç continued.

"They told the police that she wasn't in a situation to give testimony and did not remember the day of her detention. The police in return made her sign papers that said she would testify later."

Dönmez was transferred to her apartment after being discharged from intensive care unit. (BK/HK/BM)