İYİ Party Deputy Selçuk Türkoğlu Hospitalized After Police Clash at Ankara Veterans’ Protest
On August 24, 2026, a demonstration staged by er veterans and families of fallen soldiers seeking equal retirement and service rights in Ankara turned volatile when police intervened, resulting in the hospitalization of İYİ Party Bursa Deputy Selçuk Türkoğlu. The protest, which originally began on July 13 at Güvenpark, saw demonstrators pushed out by police on August 19 before relocating to Kurtuluş Park, as reported by Odatv. What started as a push for rank-agnostic equal compensation quickly escalated into a political standoff on the streets of the capital.
The Escalation at Kurtuluş Park and the Intervention
The situation boiled over when security forces moved in to break up the gathering at Kurtuluş Park, where veterans and family members attempted to press their demands closer to official government zones. İYİ Party Bursa Deputy Selçuk Türkoğlu stepped into the fray to protect and support the demonstrators, only to be caught directly in the line of a police response. Party statements confirmed that both Türkoğlu and his accompanying advisor were subjected to physical force during the melee.
İYİ Party Group Deputy Chair and Balıkesir Deputy Turhan Çömez stated that the confrontation turned physical swiftly. Çömez reported that Türkoğlu’s advisor was initially assaulted by law enforcement personnel, leading to the deputy being knocked to the ground and dragged before suffering a sudden medical emergency. Türkoğlu, who reportedly has four existing cardiac stents, experienced an acute heart spasm amidst the chaos. Suffering from head trauma and severe physical distress, he was rushed via ambulance to Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Emergency Department.
Political Aftermath and Demands for Accountability
The incident immediately ignited backlash from opposition figures demanding answers from the Ministry of Interior. İYİ Party Teşkilatlardan Sorumlu Genel Başkan Yardımcısı and Denizli Deputy Yasin Öztürk publicly challenged Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, pointing directly at the police commander who allegedly gave the order to move on the lawmakers and veterans. Öztürk asserted that video evidence clearly captures the assault, warning authorities against dismissing the footage.
Adding to the condemnation, İYİ Party General Vice President Cenk Özatıcı addressed reporters outside Hacettepe University hospital, detailing the nature of Türkoğlu’s health following the clash. Özatıcı noted that the physical violence and subsequent drop in blood pressure severely complicated the deputy’s pre-existing heart condition. Meanwhile, İYİ Party General Chair Müsavat Dervişoğlu visited Türkoğlu at the hospital to check on his recovery.
Discharge and Continued Repercussions
By late evening, İYİ Party Ankara Deputy Yüksel Arslan delivered reassuring news regarding Türkoğlu’s status, announcing via social media that the Bursa deputy had been officially discharged from the hospital and that his health condition was stable. Türkoğlu himself released a statement from his hospital bed, reflecting on the confrontation with defiance:
“Bilenler biliyor; hayatımız boyunca hep derdimiz vatan, derdimiz millet diyenlerdeniz. Vatandaşın canı nerede yanıyorsa biz oradayız. Bu uğurda başımıza ne gelirse gelsin. onur nişanesi sayarız. Kendi canımız yansa bile, “eyvallah” deriz. Şehit aileleri ve gazilerimizin hak arama mücadelesine destek için gittiğimiz Kurtuluş Park’ında, kolluk kuvvetlerinin kullandığı orantısız gücün bir hedefi de biz olduk. Yumruklu, tekmeli, kalkanlı darbelerden nasibimize düşeni aldık.”
