Lawyer Oya Aslan had expected a better outcome out of the latest hearing of the trial concerned with Engin Çeber who was tortured and killed in detention and his 3 friends Cihan Gün, Özgür Karakaya and Aysu Baykal who had also been exposed to torture when they were detained together with Çeber.

Aslan talked to bianet about the case heard before the Bakırköy (Istanbul) 14^th High Criminal Court, saying that the coming session will deal with the defence of the prosecuted prison staff and police officers. The case is postponed to 13 January 2010.

Aslan told bianet that all the necessary information was provided regarding taking the 4 men into custody in the İstinye Şehit Muhittin Bodur Police Station and also concerning the torture Çeber, Gün and Karakakya were exposed to after they had been brought to Metris Prison. "Torture is proven by witness accounts, camera records and medical reports", Aslan claimed.

In the hearing on Monday (16 November) witnesses that stayed in the same cell as Çeber gave their statements. Aslan explained that witnesses Kıyasettin Şakiroğlu and Murat Gevrek were heard for the second time since their testimonies had not been recorded previously. Both of them repeated their first statements, saying that Çeber had been exposed to physical violence by the prison staff, the lawyer said.

The joint attorneys of the Çeber family demanded to take Abdülmuttalip Bozyar and Mehmet Pek, 2 of the 13 police officers prosecuted under charges of torture, into custody. However, the court rejected this claim. As a matter of fact, none of the accused police officers is in detention.

Ministry of Justice imposed penalties

It turned out that inspectors of the Ministry of Justice investigated the court file and handed penalties to some of the police officers due to the incidents. The ministry disapproved of Metris Prison vice manager Fuat Karaosmanoğlu, who is currently detained awaiting trial. Furthermore, 5 detained prison executive officers were deposed from office. Aslan reported that the court rejected the detention request for prison executive officers Nevzat Kayın and Mehmet Polat, who received the same penalty from the ministry and were deposed from duty.

Aslan: Solely the result of public pressure

Aslan said her hopes have increased that this incident will be dealt with properly and that the torture will not remain unpunished. The lawyer emphasized the important role of public pressure. "It was very important that the witnesses described the incident the way it actually occurred. This would not have happened without the public pressure. Public support is the only way fight torture", Aslan indicated.

Detailed descriptions of torture

Ceber was arrested together with Baykal, Gün and Karakaya after he had issued a press release protesting that the shooting of left-wing human rights activist Ferhat Gerçek by the police, which resulted in his paralysis, has not been investigated or punished by the authorities.He was sent to a prison in Istanbul, where he was severely beaten. After complaining to his lawyer, he was sent to a hospital, where he fell into a coma, dying of brain hemorrhage on 10 October 2008.

After the Forensic Medicine report proved evidence for torture, Turkey's Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Sahin admitted the torture and apologized.

Footage had been published showing police officers kicking Çeber and his friends while they were sitting on the floor with handcuffs. (TK/VK)