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

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. 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.

What happened?

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.

Mohamud, who was driving the car, left Turkey before an arrest warrant and travel ban could be issued. Officials said he returned to Turkey on January 12 to give a statement, at which point the arrest warrant and travel ban were revoked.

During the court proceedings on Tuesday, which Mohamud did not attend, Gocer’s lawyers argued that the accused was primarily at fault and that he failed to slow down and give space to the biker even though the victim had indicated he was braking.

The judge initially sentenced Mohamud to three years in prison, which was then reduced to two and a half years because of his “behaviour” and “remorse”, according to local reports, and then eventually commuted to a fine.

Prosecutors had charged Mohamud with causing death by negligence and asked for a six-year sentence. But on Tuesday, Istanbul’s 33rd Criminal Court of First Instance settled on a fine of 27,300 Turkish lira ($906). Mohamud also had his driver’s licence revoked for six months.

Videos of the accident have flooded social media as some people have called for a heavier sentence for Mohamud. In the clip, Gocer is seen on his motorcycle on the busy highway, which is the main road to Ataturk Airport. One video shows the rider slowing down for a few seconds before a car crashes into him from behind, pushing Gocer and the motorcycle off the road.

Mesut Ceki, head of Kurye Haklari, a courier rights group, told Al Jazeera that justice had not been served.

“Frankly, as motor couriers, we think this is not a punishment,” said Ceki, who was present at the sentencing. “What Turkey and the world witnessed through camera footage is a murder disguised as an accident. I am also a courier. If I die and if the person who is 75 percent responsible for my death will not spend even one day in prison, if he will walk around freely in exchange for money that will not even cost him a snack due to his position, it is not just me who dies, it is justice and humanity that die.”