Ferdi Zeyrek, mayor of Turkey’s western city of Manisa, passed away Monday (June 9) after being severely electrocuted in his home on June 5th. Zeyrek was 48 years old.
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| Mayor of Turkey’s Manisa dead following electrical accident |
The electrical accident at Zeyrek’s home occurred Friday evening as the mayor was attempting to repair a broken pool motor. The severe electrical shock caused cardiac arrest for 70 minutes as the mayor was transported to a nearby hospital.
Zeyrek was then hospitalized in critical condition at Manisa’s Hafsa Sultan Hospital for three days before his Monday death. The hospital announced the mayor’s cause of death as ‘cardiac arrest’.
A ceremony commemorating Zeyrek was held Tuesday in front of Manisa’s municipal building.
Zeyrek’s daughter alleges foul play
In a statement Monday, Zeyrek’s daughter Nehir Zeyrek alleged that foul play may have played a role in her father’s death, saying that the voltage connected to the broken motor may have been intentionally increased in order to cause fatal electrocution.
Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that the Manisa Chief Prosecutor had opened an investigation into the incident.
Sudden death ends promising political career
Zeyrek, a member of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was elected to office in 2024’s local elections, which saw major gains for the CHP nationwide.
Prior to his election as mayor, Zeyrek had served as a member of Manisa’s city council since 2019. Before his political career, Zeyrek had been active in various NGOs and civil society organizations.
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| Mayor of Turkey’s Manisa dead following electrical accident |
Justice Ministry denies İmamoğlu’s request to attend funeral
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, imprisoned since March 19th, had applied to Turkey’s Justice Ministry for special permission to attend Zeyrek’s funeral, scheduled to be held today.
On Tuesday, İmamoğlu’s request was denied on the grounds that he is unrelated to Zeyrek.
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Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
