Muhammed Ustabaş, allegedly linked to a government-backed company, attacked a demonstration organised on Tuesday by local groups against a tourist facility to be built near the village of Çifteköprü (Tskarka-Gola) in the Black Sea province of Artvin, northeast Turkey, killing one villager and injuring two others.
The protestors, who opposed the “Recreation Area with Accommodation Project” in the Cankurtaran (Çhala) region, tried to stop construction machinery from entering the forest, sparking a violent confrontation.
Muhammed Ustabaş, the owner of the logging tender, allegedly connected to a government-backed company, arrived on the scene and opened fire on the villagers. Witnesses said Ustabaş initially fired into the air to intimidate the crowd before deliberately aiming at them. His bullets struck three people, including 55-year-old Reşit Kibar, who later died from his injuries.
Local journalist Atakan Asılbay, reporting from the scene, confirmed that Ustabaş has close ties to Yunus Merttürk, a prominent figure believed to be involved in the project. Asılbay revealed that villagers believe former Minister of Labour and Social Security, Faruk Çelik, directly intervened to push the project forward, escalating tensions in the community.
“The villagers have faced repeated threats and warnings, but they refused to back down,” Asılbay said. “Now, this brutal attack has only strengthened their resolve.”
In the aftermath of the shooting, villagers expressed their anger and dismay at the lack of action from local authorities. Dursun Ali Koyuncu, a villager who participated in the protest, criticised officials for ignoring the community’s concerns despite multiple complaints and petitions.
“How did the tree-cutting machinery get to the site today without gendarmerie protection?” Koyuncu asked. “We are tired of filing petitions that go unanswered. This tragedy could have been avoided if the authorities had listened to us.”
After the attack, Ustabaş fled the scene and remains at large. The villagers, now grieving the loss of one of their own, have vowed to continue their resistance against the project, demanding justice and accountability for the violence inflicted upon them.
The incident has ignited outrage across Turkey, with environmentalists and human rights activists calling for an independent investigation into the political connections behind the project. Meanwhile, the injured villagers are recovering at Hopa (Khopa) State Hospital, and the community is rallying to support them and ensure their safety in the days ahead.
Two villagers had been detained on 7 July for taking part in a demonstration by local groups against a planned tourism facility near the Çifteköprü village.
