The 5th Criminal Court of First Instance of Karşıyaka/Izmir is continuing to prosecute the family of Baran Tursun for “influencing those who prosecute”, although it already dropped the accusation under article 301.

Baran Tursun was killed by a police officer for not complying with the stop warning while driving his car. Victim’s father Mehmet Tursun, mother Berrin Tursun, sister Şelale Tursun and seven human rights defenders are on trial under article 277, facing four years in prison.

40 years for 10 suspects

The court wants to listen to some members of the Human Rights Association (İHD) whose statements have not taken yet.

When the court released police officer Oral Emre who was accused of killing Baran Tursun, father Tursun protested it by announcing that “We do not want to be pawns. We do not trust the justice system.”

Hasan Hüseyin Evin, lawyer of the Tursun Family, said his clients did not have the power to influence the trial process, that only those public officials who had power could commit such a crime.

Demanded mobilization against police violence

Talking at the hearing, Mehmet Tursun said that the police officer who shot his son and the ten police officers who were accused of forgery in official documents were going to be prosecuted by the 1st High Criminal Court of Karşıyaka/İzmir on January 19. He said he wanted the support of the public.

He furthermore said that they were declaring mobilization to repeat the same reaction and the solidarity for the human right the Greek people showed in the case of the youth shot by a police officer.

In addition to the three members of the Tursun family, activists  Semra Uzunok, Ahmet Alagöz, Hatice Necla Şengül, Evrim Kubilay, Lütfi Demirkapı, Ali Çalışkan, Tuncay Kılıç are on trial.    

Mother Berin Tursun is also on trial for insult under article 125. (EÖ/TB)