‘Investigation into Death of Hantaş Must Be Fairly, Impartially, Independently Conducted'

Click to read the article in Turkish

After 20-year-old Recep Hantaş was shot to death by police in Sümer Park in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır, the Diyarbakır Bar Association has released a statement and made a call to the authorities to conduct "a fair, impartial and independent investigation"

Signed by Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair Cihan Aydın, the statement has reminded that authorities did not make a statement regarding the issue for a long time and it was reported in the news that Hantaş was killed by mistake.

In its statement, the bar association has indicated,

"One day later, on April 15, 2019, the Governorship of Diyarbakır released a written statement for the press entitled 'The Person Who Did Not Obey the Stop Warning.' In the statement of the Governorship, the criminal records of the killed victim Recep Hantaş and the person who was with him were revealed to the public instead of explaining how the incident took place and what responsibility the police had in this incident.

"The Governorship has also stated that two officers were referred to court to be arrested. As far as we are informed, while one of the suspect police officers has been arrested, the other one has been released on probation."

A call for an effective, impartial investigation

Further in its statement, the bar association has shared its concerns that the investigation is not conducted in a fair and transparent manner:

"In the light of our previous experience, we know that when the perpetrators of a murder are state officers, the authorities do not have a good practice in conducting an effective, impartial and independent investigation.

"Though, at first sight, there are strong parameters suggesting that it was an extrajudicial execution, we find it right to evaluate the incident after obtaining more detailed information and documents."

'Witness should testify in company of a lawyer'

Underlining that they will closely follow the process of investigation, the Dyarbakır Bar Association has expressed the following demands:

• It should be ensured that the family and lawyers of the family take an active part in the process of investigation and the file of the investigation should be equally open to lawyers at both sides,
• The most important evidence regarding the incident is undoubtedly the video footage captured by surveillance cameras. For that reason, these records should be immediately collected and kept in legal safe,
• Crime scene investigation should be conducted by independent teams (Gendarmerie teams) and be systematically videotaped,
• The testimony of the person who is he only witness of the incident and was referred to as R.Y. in the statement of the Governorship should be taken as soon as possible and in company of a lawyer,
• Authorities should provide satisfying, quick and impartial information to the public regarding the phases of the investigation. (AÖ/SD)