$900 fine for a delivery rider’s death: Do couriers have any rights?

The death of a Turkish delivery courier has brought into focus the conditions under which riders work.

The death of a motorcycle courier in an Istanbul road accident and the light sentencing of the man who allegedly killed him have sparked a debate about the conditions of gig workers at a time when they are an increasingly crucial engine of the global economy.

Mohammed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a son of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was initially handed a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for the death of the courier, Yunus Emre Gocer, in a traffic accident. The sentence was immediately commuted on Tuesday to a small fine, though, in light of Mohamud’s good “behaviour” and “remorse”, according to the court.

The order sparked outrage after videos of the incident were shared on social media, prompting calls for better protections for couriers in Turkey. Since the pandemic, takeaway and delivery options have become integral to many economies, but thousands of delivery riders work with few or no physical or legal protections.

Here’s what we know about Gocer’s case, the conditions of delivery workers around the world — and just how much the modern economy relies on them.

Gocer, 38, was riding his motorcycle on an Istanbul highway on November 30 when a car with diplomatic registration plates smashed into him from behind, severely injuring him. Gocer died of his injuries on December 5.