Ferhat Encü Faces Prosecution as Roboski Case Dismissed

Ferhat Encü, a Kurdish man who lost 11 family members in Roboski Massacre, has been charged with insulting gendarmerie officials, facing up to 4 years of prison. 

“I won’t go to the courthouse. I won’t stand trials. We don’t recognize court that don’t recognize justice. Instead of investigating the Roboski Massacre, they are investigating me,” he told bianet. 

On Tuesday, Turkish Military Prosecutor’s Office released a statement, saying that they decided not to follow charges in Roboski Massacre case. 

Prison sentence up to 4 years 

Prosecutor Hasan Serdar Çelikbilek drafted the case indictment, charging Ferhat Encü with insulting gendarmeries by saying “It is none of your business” and “We hate you”. 

Encü has been accused with violating Turkish Penal Code Article 261/1 (confronting a public officers to held their duties with threat and force) and 125/3 (insulting a public officer).  

However, Prosecutor Çelikbilek dropped charges on “confronting a public officers to held their duties with threat and force”.

6 detentions happened “by mistake” 

On December 28, 2011, Turkish military jets bombarded 34 Kurdish civilians from Ortasu/Roboski and Gülyazı/Bujehon villages located on the southeastern border. 

Up until August 16, 2012, Ferhat Encü has been detained for 6 times for similar charges. He has countersued authorities for damages as he was reportedly declared that detentions happened “by mistake”.  

Şırnak High Criminal Court rejected the case, saying that Encü was facing prosecution related to the charges. The ruling paved the way for further detentions.

“My search for justice disturbed some people,” Encü told bianet previously. 

On January 7, Turkish Military Prosecutor’s Office released a statement, saying that they decided not to follow charges in Roboski Massacre case. 

The decision cited that no investigation was necessary for suspected soldiers İlhan Bölük, Yıldırım Güvenç, Aygün Eker, Halil Erkek and Ali Rıza Kuğu as “they committed an major error but performed their duties within the given orders”. (AS/BM)