Turkish MP, who collapsed and suffered heart attack after saying 'Israel will suffer Allah's wrath, dies

Turkey's opposition lawmaker Hasan Bitmez died on Thursday (Dec 14), two days after he collapsed and suffered a heart attack in front of parliament after finishing his speech in which he criticised the policy of the government towards Israel.

54-year-old Bitmez, a member of parliament from the opposition Felicity (Saadet) Party, breathed his last in Ankara City Hospital, said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, while speaking to reporters in televised remarks.

Bitmez had graduated from Cairo's Al Azhar University and was the chairman of the Centre for Islamic Union Research. Previously, he had worked for Islamic non-governmental organisations, as per his parliament biography. MP Bitmez was married and had a child.

In the official broadcast of the Parliament, Bitmez was seen collapsing to the floor after continuously standing at the podium, while facing the general assembly on Tuesday (Dec 12).

The MP was critical of President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party (AKP) over the ongoing trade of Turkey with Israel even though the latter had been engaged in a war with Gaza, and sharp rhetorical criticism made by the Turkish government over the military bombardment of Israel.

"You allow ships to go to Israel and you shamelessly call it trade... You are Israel's accomplice," said Bitmez, in his speech. The statement was made by the leader after he placed a banner on the podium which read, "Murderer Israel; collaborator AKP".

"You have the blood of Palestinians on your hands, you are collaborators. You contribute to every bomb Israel drops on Gaza," he said to lawmakers amid debate over the 2024 budget of the foreign ministry.

Quoting a poem by Turkish writer Sezai Karakoc, Bitmez said, "Even if history remains silent, the truth will not remain silent. They think that if they get rid of us, there will be no problem. However, if you get rid of us, you will not be able to escape the torment of conscience. Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of Allah.”

After ending his speech, Bitmez suddenly fell on the floor as other MPs rushed from their seats to help. Afterwards, Koca said that in an angiography it was found that there was a complete blockade in two main veins in his heart. 

Earlier in a statement, Dr Koca said, "Bitmez fell ill during his speech at the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and the General Assembly Health Team intervened and started cardiac massage. Our deputy, who was intubated and brought to Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, was immediately taken for angiography. After angiography, he was put on a heart-lung pump and taken to intensive care. I offer him my best wishes.”