Police Officer Convicted 7 Years After Death of Teen hit in Head With Tear Gas Canister

Senior Reporter

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A police officer in Turkey has been convicted seven years after the death of a teenager hit in the head with a tear gas canister.

Officer Fatih Dalgali was on trial for causing the death of 14-year-old Berkin Elvan who was hit in the head by a high-velocity gas canister in Istanbul in June of 2013 during the "Gezi Park" anti-government protests. Dalgali denies the accusation.

Elvan died in March 2014 after being in a coma for 269 days. His family said he was out buying bread, not protesting.

"This case is the case of all friends who lost their lives in Gezi," Can Atalay, the lawyer of the Elvan family, said in a statement to the BBC after the decision. "They will try to turn it away from the Supreme Court with sleight of hand, we will not allow it."

For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.

Turkey Police Tear Gas — A Turkish policeman stands in a cloud of teargas after he accidentally let off a canister as they detain a demonstrator during a May Day rally marking the international day of the worker in Istanbul,... BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was then prime minister, claimed Elvan was among the "terrorists" at the protests with his face concealed and argued police had no way of knowing his age.

A court in Istanbul convicted Dalgali of "possible intent of murder," sentencing him to 16 years and 8 months in prison, and barred him from leaving the country, according to official Anadolu news agency. The court did not seek his immediate arrest. His conviction may be approved or overturned by a higher court.