Hasan Bitmez, a 54-year-old Turkish opposition lawmaker from the Felicity (Saadet) Party, died on Thursday, two days after collapsing in front of parliament. Bitmez suffered a heart attack immediately after delivering a speech criticizing the government’s policy toward Israel. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced the news, confirming Bitmez’s death at Ankara City Hospital.
Bitmez, a graduate of Cairo’s Al Azhar University, was a notable figure in Islamic research and had worked extensively with Islamic nongovernmental organizations. He leaves behind a spouse and one child. The incident occurred as Bitmez concluded a speech where he vehemently criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for continuing trade with Israel despite the conflict in Gaza.
In his speech, Bitmez accused the AKP of being an accomplice to Israel, saying, “You have the blood of Palestinians on your hands, you are collaborators.” He collapsed after placing a banner on the podium that read: “Murderer Israel; collaborator AKP.”
Medical reports indicated that Bitmez’s two main heart veins were completely blocked. He was resuscitated in parliament and rushed to the hospital, where he was kept alive on medical machinery until his passing.
Bitmez’s party, the small Islamist Saadet Party, had joined the main opposition bloc to challenge Erdoğan in the May presidential elections. Bitmez secured his parliamentary seat by being listed with the main opposition party CHP.