Four Turkish Police to Go on Trial for Protester Death

A Turkish court will try four police officers for the murder of a protester during anti-government clashes in June who was beaten so savagely he had a brain hemorrhage, local media said Tuesday.

The court in Eskisehir, western Turkey, said the officers would be put on trial after considering accusations of premeditated murder brought by the public prosecutor, the Dogan news agency reported.

Ali Ismail Korkmaz, 19, who joined demonstrations in the central Anatolian city on June 2, suffered a brain hemorrhage after he was beaten up by a group while fleeing from tear gas used against protesters.

A total of eight suspects will go on trial, including the police officers, with all facing a maximum life sentence in prison.

Five of the men have been remanded in custody by a Turkish court since June.

The trial may be moved to another location to avoid possible outbreaks of violence over the young man's death, Dogan said, and should begin in a month.

The trial of a police officer accused of "exceeding legitimate self-defense" in shooting dead a protester in Ankara on June 1 was postponed after a fight broke out between lawyers for the defense and prosecution.

At least six people -- one a policeman -- have died in protests since demonstrations began in June against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seen as an increasingly authoritarian figure.

The protests were violently suppressed by police using water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas.