The trial launched by Ali Suat Ertosun, member of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), against Taylan Tanay, executive of the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and bianet website co-ordinator Ertuğrul Kürkçü was continued on Thursday (16 December). Ertosun, former General Head of Prisons and Arrest Stations, filed a compensation claim against Tanay and Kürkçü.

Ertosun claims TL 15,000 (€ 7,500) for an alleged attack on his personal rights based on the article entitled "Ali Suat Ertosun's place is not at the HSYK but in the dock", published on 31 July 2010.

The Thursday hearing was attended by complainant Ertosun's lawyer, defendant Tanay's joint attorneys Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Evrim Deniz Karatana, Hüseyin Arslan, Eylem Hakverdi, Özgür Yılmaz, Hüseyin Yükselbiçen, Pınar Akdemir and Akın Savaş Ataç as well as Kürkçü's defence lawyer Mustafa Bayram Mısır.

Lawyer Kozağaçlı: "Return to Life" cases should be decided first

Lawer Kozağaçlı requested to wait for the outcome of the trials regarding the "Return to Life" operation against gendarmerie officers and officials heard before the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court and the Ankara 5^th High Criminal Court before deciding on the case on subject filed by Ertosun.

Complainant Ertosun was Prisons and Arrest Stations General Director in December 2000 when the police violently ended the "death fasts" of hundreds of political prisoners, called the "return to life" operation. The Prisoners had protested against a transfer from large wardens to F-type cells with only 3 or 4 prisoners. 28 prisoners and two soldiers were killed in 28 prisons.

Lawyer Mısır: Status of limitation reached

Lawyer Mısır requested to evaluate the previously made objection concerning the status of limitation. He referred to the according statements in the response petition of the defendant.

The Ankara 25^th Civil Court of First Instance postponed the trial to 27 January 2011 in order to allow time to present the statements to the plaintiff party.

ÇHD President Kozağaçlı sued as well

Ertosun filed another compensation claim against ÇHD President Selçuk Kozğaçlı. Lawyer Kozağaçlı had harshly criticized Ertosun's rewarding with the reward of the Medal for Public Service. Kozağaçlı had claimed thatErtosun was responsible for the death of 30 detainees in the course of prison operations. Kozağaçlı is tried at the Ankara 9^th Magistrate Criminal Court.

Additionally, he faces a monetary fine of TL 25,000 (€ 12,500) in compensation in the scope of the case heard at the Ankara 21st Civil Court of First Instance. The latter case will be continued in March 2011. (EÖ/VK)