POLICE VIOLENCE

Police officer Tuncay Aktaş did not appear at the hearing of the case regarding his supposed attack on a journalist in January. Police officer Aktaş is alleged of having beaten journalist Ozan Özhan on Taksim Square in Istanbul on 9 January 2010. Özhan had paused on his way to read a sign board on energy when riot forces policeman Aktaş started quarrelling and then beat him.

Defendant Aktaş was appointed to a different province after the incident. In the second hearing of the case on Wednesday (15 December), the Beyoğlu (Istanbul) 2^nd Magistrate Criminal Court decided to confirm the defendant's new address and acquire footage of several MOBESE cameras (cameras in public).

Aktaş is prosecuted under allegations of "actual bodily harm".

"It's for your own good to leave"

Özhan stated at the Wednesday hearing, "

"I was living in Beyoğlu at the time. On the day of the incident I was reading an advertisement posted ahead of the permanent check point of the riot forces. I was coming from Istiklal Avenue carrying a net from the market. The police officer told me, 'Do not wait here, go ahead'. I said I was reading the sign board. The policeman answered, 'It is for your own good to leave'. I replied that I was a journalist living in the neighbourhood. I said that if there was a threat to the public, there should be a warning sign.

"Maybe he hit his arm"

"Meanwhile, another police officer ran towards us and said 'What are you talking, man'. I replied, 'What are you talking'. They grabbed my arm and dragged me into the barrack. Then they started kicking my leg and beating my ear".

"A police inspector came and I explained the situation. I wanted the police officers to apologize but they refused. The other policeman said, 'Maybe our friend hit his arm'".

In a previous statement, defendant Aktaş rejected the claims.

Özhan's lawyer Haticde Gürçay requested the court to send a writ to the District Police Directorate to confirm the defendant's address. She also demanded to acquire footage from several MOSEBE cameras installed on Taksim Square from the District Police Directorate Information Technology Bureau. The court accepted both requests. The next hearing is set for 2 June 2010. (BT/VK)