The Turkish prime minister's aide Yusef Yerkel has allegedly been given sick leave after being diagnosed with soft tissue trauma in his right leg - the same leg used to kick a protester shortly after the country’s worst mining disaster in history.

A shocking image emerged last week showing the moment Mr Yerkel kicked a protester already being restrained on the ground during anti-government demonstrations following an explosion in a coal mine that left 282 dead and scores more injured.

The picture was taken in Soma, the town where the mining disaster took place, and caused outrage after it was shared across social media thousands of times.

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Mr Yekel later issued a reluctant apology, claiming he had been kicked by the protester and provoked into attacking him, and his actions were later defended by officials who described it as “self-defence”.

A report from the Ankara hospital testifies to "sensitivity with leg and arm movements and difficulty with walking”, which Mr Yerkel reportedly blamed on a fall, the Hurriyet Daily News has reported.

“There are 10x10 cm oedema, bruises and soft tissue panicula on the right knee, and bruises and soft tissue swelling on the left shoulder and front of the chest. The patient has been diagnosed with soft tissue trauma as there is sensitivity with leg and arm movements and difficulty with walking,” the hospital report allegedly states.

Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Turkish PM's advisor Yusuf Yerkel kicking a protester during mining demonstrations Show all 8 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Turkish PM's advisor Yusuf Yerkel kicking a protester during mining demonstrations 1/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel, advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, kicking a protester already held by special forces police members during Erdogan's visit to Soma. Erdogan was visiting the western Turkish mining town of Soma after Turkey's worst mining accident 2/8 Turkey The photos caused outrage after they were shared across social media thousands of times 3/8 Turkey Turkish newspapers Cumhuriyet, Milliyet and others on Thursday printed photographs they said were of an Erdogan aide kicking a protester 4/8 Turkey Mr Erdogan’s adviser Yusuf Yerkel confirmed in a telephone conversation that he was the man in the image seen about to kick a protester and said he would release a statement on the incident "as soon as possible" 5/8 Turkey The moment the PM's aide Yusuf Yerkel was allegedly caught kicking a protester Report Turk 6/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel (R) advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, receives a note from Erdogan during his visit in Soma 7/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel (R) advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stands behind Erdogan during his visit in Soma 8/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel (R) advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stands behind Erdogan during his visit in Soma 1/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel, advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, kicking a protester already held by special forces police members during Erdogan's visit to Soma. Erdogan was visiting the western Turkish mining town of Soma after Turkey's worst mining accident 2/8 Turkey The photos caused outrage after they were shared across social media thousands of times 3/8 Turkey Turkish newspapers Cumhuriyet, Milliyet and others on Thursday printed photographs they said were of an Erdogan aide kicking a protester 4/8 Turkey Mr Erdogan’s adviser Yusuf Yerkel confirmed in a telephone conversation that he was the man in the image seen about to kick a protester and said he would release a statement on the incident "as soon as possible" 5/8 Turkey The moment the PM's aide Yusuf Yerkel was allegedly caught kicking a protester Report Turk 6/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel (R) advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, receives a note from Erdogan during his visit in Soma 7/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel (R) advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stands behind Erdogan during his visit in Soma 8/8 Turkey Yusuf Yerkel (R) advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stands behind Erdogan during his visit in Soma

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Hüseyin Çelik also defended Mr Yerkel in a press conference on 16 May, where he argued his injury was proof of his innoncence.

“Yusuf Yerkel made a statement. One cannot understand the entirety of a situation from only one photograph. Yusuf Yerkel said that the person he is kicking on the floor did in fact attack and hurt him, he was even granted sick leave for seven days,” he was quoted as saying.