Hasan Bitmez (15 December 1969 – 14 December 2023) was a Turkish politician who was a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for the Felicity Party.

Hasan Bitmez
Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
In office
2 June 2023 – 14 December 2023
ConstituencyKocaeli (2023)
Personal details
Born(1969-12-15)15 December 1969
Alucra, Giresun, Turkey
Died14 December 2023(2023-12-14) (aged 53)
Ankara, Turkey
Resting placeMerkezefendi Cemetery
Political partyFelicity Party
Children1
EducationAl-Azhar University

Personal life and death

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Born in the town of Alucra on 15 December 1969,[1] Bitmez attended Gebze Imam-Hatip High School in Istanbul,[1] and went to college at Al-Azhar University. He was married and had one child.[2]

On 12 December 2023, Bitmez collapsed from a heart attack in parliament, moments after finishing a speech denouncing Israel in the context of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, saying that Israel "will suffer the wrath of Allah,"[3] and criticizing the ongoing relationship between Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Israel.[2][4] While he collapsed, AKP members of parliament chanted "this is the wrath of Allah".[5][6] He died at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital two days later, on 14 December at the age of 53, one day before his 54th birthday.[2] He was buried at Merkezefendi Cemetery in Istanbul.[7]

Bitmez is the fourth MP in the history of Turkey to have died during or after an event that took place in the Assembly, following Halid Karsıalan, Mehmet Abdurrezak Ceylan, and Mehmet Fevzi Şıhanlıoğlu.[8] Following his death, the Felicity and Future Alliance failed to maintain the 20-deputy quota to unify, and it subsequently fell apart.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Hasan Bitmez'in yarın doğum günü olduğu ortaya çıktı!" [It turns out that Hasan Bitmez's birthday is tomorrow!]. Kocaeli Koz (in Turkish). 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Turkish MP dies after suffering heart attack in parliament". Reuters. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  3. ^ Farberov, Snejana (14 December 2023). "Turkish lawmaker who had heart attack after saying Israel 'will suffer the wrath of Allah' dies". New York Post. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Turkish lawmaker who gave speech criticizing Israel dies after collapsing in parliament". AP News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Bayılan Saadet Partili Bitmez'e 'Allah'ın gazabı' diyen AKP'li kimdi?". Artı Gerçek (in Turkish). 14 December 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  6. ^ "AK Parti'den bayılıp düşen Bitmez'e: 'Allah'ın gazabı böyle olur işte! Allah'ın gazabı böyle!'". www.gazeteduvar.com.tr. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Saadet Partisi Kocaeli Milletvekili Hasan Bitmez İstanbul'da son yolculuğuna uğurlandı" [Saadet Party Kocaeli Deputy Hasan Bitmez was sent off on his last journey in Istanbul] (in Turkish). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Hasan Bitmez'in vefatı: TBMM çatısı altındaki dördüncü ölüm" [The death of Hasan Bitmez: The fourth episode under the umbrella of the Turkish Grand National Assembly]. Gazete Duvar (in Turkish). 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Hasan Bitmez'in ölümüyle Saadet-Gelecek grubu düştü" [With the death of Hasan Bitmez, the Saadet-future group collapsed]. Milliyet (in Turkish). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
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