Authorities try to prevent participation at Gökçek's funeral

Lawyer Ayşegül Çağatay said: "They are trying to cause problems in the cemetery by using the lockdown as an excuse to for imposing limitation on the funeral of Ibrahim Gökçek who was brought to Kayseri."

The body of Grup Yorum member Ibrahim Gökçek, who died two days after calling off the death fast he had carried on for 323 days, was brought to Kayseri for the funeral cemetery accompanied by the police at night.

'They are trying to block participation'

Gökçek’s lawyer, Ayşegül Çağatay, said that the remains of Ibrahim were kept in the cemetery morgue throughout the night and added: "He had relatives and brothers with him. Now we are going to take Ibrahim to bury him in Aleppo Hodja Graveyard."

Çağatay also said that they received the information that Gökçek's wife Sultan, who is currently in prison, has been brought to Kayseri to attend the funeral, but the information could not be confirmed. 

Çağatay said: "It was said that Sultan Gökçek was brought to Kayseri, but we could not establish any contact with her. We do not know if she will attend the funeral, but we try to ensure this. While trying to get the remains from the morgue, it was clear that the authorities try to impose a number of limitation on the funeral using the lockdown as an excuse. They apparently don't want to allow anyone except the relatives."

After Gökçek's remains were brought last night, a racist group gathered in the Başakpınar district and asked that the burial be not carried out in Kayseri.

The group threatened to "take his remains out and burn them if they do bury him there."

Despite the lockdown, the group was out and was joined by MHP Kayseri Deputy Mustafa Baki Ersoy and Provincial President Serkan Tok. Ersoy, who came to Başakpınar, made a speech and said: "There is the coronavirus threat, but we are here at this time. We will do whatever we can."