Altın Erdoğan, who began work in fruit orchards in Antalya, was brutally beaten on her third day, simply because she objected to no Covid masks being worn in a crowded service vehicle. Altın lost her eye as a result of the violence and is now preparing to sue.
According to Birgün News, Altın Erdoğan, who had three surgical operations after the incident and lost her left eye, is now preparing to sue to get justice. Altın Erdogan said, “If my financial situation was better, I would not work for 80 liras a day. It’s hard to attain your rights. “I have been left in darkness. I want justice for all women.”
Altın Erdoğan detailed what happened six weeks ago on 28th October:
”We went to work in the pomegranate and orange fields to pick fruit. I had been working for three days. Our superviser on that day had changed. We started work at seven in the morning and continously worked without eating until three o’clock. We normally would have a break and take something to eat. I said to the new superviser ‘Aren’t we going to eat, we’re not slaves”, ”No food! We will finish the field as soon as possible and leave.” the superviser snapped. Then he started to target me. Then we finished our work and got into the vehicle to return home. They put 30 people in a 15-person vehicle. Young people in the vehicle were not wearing masks. I pointed out that ‘there is a pandemic, we must wear masks,’ and took a picture with my camera phone,” she said and continued:
”The superviser’s wife was also in the vehicle and she lunged at me and squeezed my throat with both of her hands. The superviser took the phone from my hand and deleted the video. People in the vehicle were in silence. Later I got off near my house. The superviser walked over to me and grabbed me, “Are you going to sack me?”, I said: “I need to earn money, let me go.” The former superviser was there too. I quickly started walking towards my house. He shouted behind me and said, “Wait, I’ll tell you something” and then brutally attacked me and punched me hard in my left eye, twice. Blood flowed from my eye. The former superviser took me to hospital. When I said I was going to complain about them, he left me in front of the hospital and left the scene. ”
”I am now in darkness”
Altın Erdoğan, who has had three surgical operations after the incident has lost her left eye and who is now preparing to sue, said that ”If my financial situation was better, I would not work for 80 lira per day. This happened to me on the third day of my job. The visibility in my right eye is also poor. My left eye is now in darkness. I can not do anything myself. I cannot cook or wash dishes. I can’t even call anyone. I can’t see at all. It’s hard to attain my rights and get justice. I have been left in darkness. I want justice for all women. ”
