Turkey reports first 'smoking-ban murder'

[Devrim]

30 Jul 2009 14:35:01 GMT
Source: Reuters

ISTANBUL, July 30 (Reuters) - A restaurant owner in southwest Turkey was shot dead after he tried to prevent his customers from smoking to comply with a new law on the use of tobacco indoors, Hurriyet daily said on Thursday. A fight broke out after Hidir Karayigit, 46, ordered a group of customers to extinguish their cigarettes when they began smoking at his "meyhane," a traditional restaurant that serves alcohol, in the town of Saruhanli, Hurriyet said. One of the customers shot Karayigit four times after he took away the group's cigarettes, said witness Hamza Havutcu, Karayigit's business partner who was also shot and wounded. Turkey's government on July 19 introduced a nationwide ban on indoor smoking, including bars and restaurants, despite the fact that half of Turks aged between the ages of 15 and 49 smoke; one of the highest rates in the world. "I'm deeply saddened that the first smoking-ban murder occurred in our town," Saruhanli Mayor Veli Yalcin told Hurriyet. "They either shouldn't have outlawed smoking or they should have outlawed alcohol along with smoking.

[Coggeh]

30 Jul 2009 14:35:01 GMT
Source: Reuters

ISTANBUL, July 30 (Reuters) - A restaurant owner in southwest Turkey was shot dead after he tried to prevent his customers from smoking to comply with a new law on the use of tobacco indoors, Hurriyet daily said on Thursday. A fight broke out after Hidir Karayigit, 46, ordered a group of customers to extinguish their cigarettes when they began smoking at his "meyhane," a traditional restaurant that serves alcohol, in the town of Saruhanli, Hurriyet said. One of the customers shot Karayigit four times after he took away the group's cigarettes, said witness Hamza Havutcu, Karayigit's business partner who was also shot and wounded. Turkey's government on July 19 introduced a nationwide ban on indoor smoking, including bars and restaurants, despite the fact that half of Turks aged between the ages of 15 and 49 smoke; one of the highest rates in the world. "I'm deeply saddened that the first smoking-ban murder occurred in our town," Saruhanli Mayor Veli Yalcin told Hurriyet. "They either shouldn't have outlawed smoking or they should have outlawed alcohol along with smoking.
The smoking ban isn't the problem here , its just assholes.

[Il Medico]

Someone actually shot a person over a smoke? WTF???

[Kukulofori]

hay guys i really think we're getting the whole story here.

let's take this at face value without any investigation.

[Pogue]

wasn't this posted before

[narcomprom]

How did they get guns?

[ls]

Complete insanity, the whole thing.

[pastradamus]

WTF?

Some serious smokers over there in Turkey! :confused:

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

How did they get guns?

From a dealer probably.

[Devrim]

From a dealer probably.

From a gun shop I would imagine.

Devrim

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

From a gun shop I would imagine.

Devrim

I take it Turkey doesn't have a handgun ban?

What is this doing in S&E, anyway?

[Fictional]

Isn't smoking used to relax people? I find it helps in times of stress.
I don't think this has anything to do with smoking itself, who was the person who shot the bar owner?
For all we know, he could of been a big deal, gang boss or something - could explain the reason he was carrying a handgun, I can't see any normal member of the public packing heat and shooting a guy just for taking a cigarette away from him.

[Devrim]

I take it Turkey doesn't have a handgun ban?

It isn't that difficult to get a legal gun, and there are lots of ilegal ones about.


What is this doing in S&E, anyway?

I didn't quite know where to put it and a thought smoking ban was a sort of enviornment thing. Move it if you like.


I don't think this has anything to do with smoking itself, who was the person who shot the bar owner?
For all we know, he could of been a big deal, gang boss or something - could explain the reason he was carrying a handgun, I can't see any normal member of the public packing heat and shooting a guy just for taking a cigarette away from him.

I don't know who he was. It isn't only gang bosses who carry guns though. Lots of people do.

During the football season we have about one death a weak from over enthusiastic celebrations of victories, shooting guns in the air. Weddings can be similar.

Devrim