No Trial Yet in "Malatya Massacre"

The investigation into the murder of three people at Zirve Publishers in Malatya has yet to be concluded.

Malatya - Bıa news centre
17 September 2007, Monday

On 18 April, three people working for Zirve Publishers, a publishing company for Christian texts, were killed. Five months later, no trial has been opened yet.

10 lawyers to join trial 

Lawyer Orhan Kemal Cengiz, who is to join the trial as a third-party for the Deliverance Protestant Churches, said that it has been impossible to reach files because the investigation has been conducted under the seal of secrecy, just like the Hrant Dink trial.

Cengiz has told bianet that a group of ten lawyers from Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara is going to join the trial as third-party plaintiffs.

Five suspects in detention 

The three men murdered were German national Tilmann Ekkhart Geske, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yüksel. Five men have been arrested in connection with the murders: Emre G., Salih G., Cuma Ö., Abuzer Y. and Hamit C..

They have been arrested under the charges of "founding and being members of a terrorist organisation", "committing murder as part of terrorist activity" and "depriving people of their freedom".

Seven on trial without detention 

Six other people, as well as Emre G.'s girlfriend T.I., who is accused of "assisting a terrorist organisation", have been released from detention, but will be tried.

Emre G. had jumped out of the publishing company's third-floor window shortly after the murders. After being treated for his injuries, he was arested and it is said that he is being treated as the planner of the attack. (EÖ/NZ/AG)

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