A herione originally from Malatya, Türkan Türkmen Tekin, who left her home in order to repel the coup attempt of the FETÖ members instead of staying at home, began walking from Esenler with her family as soon as she heard about the occupation of Atatürk Airport by the putschists.
With her husband Ramazan Tekin and her children, she first got to the Esenler Atışalanı Police Station, and then walked to Atatürk Airport together with the crowd gathered. Türkan Tekin, who fought in the front line, was severely wounded after the tank which drove over people. Tekin, who was taken to the hospital with the help of the people around, was lost in spite of the effort. The 20-year-old Berkay, 18-year-old Buket and 11-year-old Sümeyye, the children of 43-year-old Türkan Tekin, who fell a martyr for her honor, country and flag, were left motherless.
“My wife fell a martyr in my arms”
The martyr’s husband Ramazan Tekin stated about the incidents that occured that night as follows: “My wife hastily got ready upon the call of President Erdoğan for resistance. She got ready in seconds even though she was wearing hijab, and went out directly without wearing her shoes. She was shouting, ‘For our country, hurry up!’ We walked to the terminal police station in Esenler. Then, we were going to the airport, praying at the same time. We were walking, when suddenly the lights went out and a tank ran over my wife. I wasn’t able to hear that noise. I felt like the world stopped turning. They cut the lights out to prevent us from seeing the tank. I tried to take her out from beneath the tank; I was crying. I didn’t know what to do. My wife fell a martyr in my arms.”
“My sister was a mujahid, please legalize executions”
Her sister Sevgi Menteş says that Tekin spent her entire life fighting. Menteş stated, “She defended hijab rights for years.She was generous enough to give her last money to someone else. When the coup attempt occured, she immediately called me. She said, ‘Be cautious.’ and hung up. That was the last talk between us. Then, I called her, but I couldn’t reach her. I learned that a tank ran over her. We got the news at 04.00. ‘My sister died!’. My son said to me, ‘My aunt fell a martyr, mother.’ She and I always prayed and read the Quran whenever our country was in danger. When she got married, she wanted to have her wedding at a mosque. My sister was a mujahid. She went for Islam and ummah. She loved her country, her nation. If only I could find the tank...Please legalize executions. Don’t let her blood remain on the ground.”
The President called the mourning family
In a speech, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated, “One of my sisters too, Türkan had only God and martyrdom in her mind, when she was trapped and torn apart by tanks and armored cars. They were the heirs of Nene Hatun.”
President Erdoğan, who called the family of Martyr Türkan Türkmen Tekin, whom he mentioned during the speeches he gave after the incidents that occurred on the night of the coup attempt, visited the martyr’s husband and son with Mehmet Tevfik Göksu, the mayor of Esenler. Erdoğan symphatized with the family and said, “Our martyr’s blood is the forerunner of our victory.”
An afternoon prayer for Martyr Tekin was held at the İstanbul Esenler Namık Kemal Mosque, and a funeral prayer afterwards. Tekin was committed to ground in Habibler Yeşil Yayla Cemetery.
The martyr’s name was given to a technical and vocational high school in Kütahya.
