Turkey is currently investigating the death of a U.S.-Turkish activist who was killed during a protest in the West Bank. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that Ankara will urge the United Nations to take swift action regarding the incident.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, aged 26, was fatally shot while participating in a demonstration against Israeli settlements in Beita, a town in the occupied West Bank. These settlements are deemed illegal by international law but receive backing from right-wing members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration.
The United Nations rights office has claimed that Israeli forces shot Eygi in the head, an accusation the Israeli army has partially acknowledged, stating that they had opened fire in the vicinity and were investigating the incident.
Tunc confirmed that Turkey has initiated an investigation and plans to bring the matter to the UN, advocating for an independent inquiry into Eygi’s death. He emphasized the importance of involving the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial and Arbitrary Executions and establishing a commission to investigate and produce a report on the case. This report will be forwarded to the UN Human Rights Council and contributed to ongoing proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
“We will continue to advocate for our sister Aysenur and our Palestinian brothers,” Tunc asserted. The Turkish foreign ministry has announced that the necessary procedures for transferring Eygi’s body have been completed through its embassy in Tel Aviv and its consulate in Jerusalem, adding that her body will arrive in Turkey soon. They condemned her killing, attributing responsibility to the Netanyahu government.
Eygi’s family awaits her return and hopes to bury her in the town of Didim. Her uncle expressed both sorrow and pride, stating the significance of honoring a young girl who was passionate about world issues. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised that Aysenur Ezgi’s death will not go unpunished.
