ISTANBUL, Sept 13 (Askume) – The body of a Turkish-American activist was brought to Istanbul airport on Friday and a formal ceremony was held, a week after he was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank.
Istanbul’s governor and other officials lined up in front of Ayşenur Ezgi Ezgi’s coffin, which was draped in red and white Turkish flags with police in formal uniforms guarding either end.
An imam led prayers at Istanbul airport before his body was flown from Tel Aviv to Baku overnight. Iggy, 26, was killed while taking part in a protest against Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
After the ceremony, Ege’s body was taken to Izmir, the governor’s office told Askume. The funeral is due to take place on Saturday in the Turkish Aegean coastal city of Didim where his family lives.
Israel acknowledged that its soldiers shot Agee, a Turkish-American educated in Washington state, but said they did so unintentionally during a demonstration that turned violent.
Washington said the killings were unacceptable. Ankara said it would seek international arrest warrants for those responsible for what it called deliberate killings.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tuncı said Ankara’s chief prosecutor’s office was investigating “those responsible for the martyrdom and murder of our sister Esenur Ezgi Ezgi”.
