Police Şahbaz Ordered to Stand Trial

Ankara 6^th High Criminal Court held the forth hearing of Ethem Sarısülük, a Gezi Resistance protestor who was shot dead by police fire on June 14, 2013.  

While police officer Ahmet Şahbaz, the top suspect, did not attend the hearing [due to security reasons], judges did not order him to submit a testimony via video conference either. 

On the other hand, they rejected defense attorney’s request for the arrest of Ahmet Şahbaz. But the court ordered Şahbaz to attend the next hearing on May 26 at 10:30 am local time. 

Police siege around the courthouse

Prior to the hearing, dozens of activists filled outside the courthouse as riot police took notice and put barricades. 

Among notable observers of the meeting included Berkin Elvan’s father Sami Elvan and singer Pınar Aydınlar and CHP deputies Aylin Nazlıaka, Hüseyin Aygün, İlhan Cihaner,  Sezgin Tanrıkulu and Veli Ağababa.

Arrest request rejected

Previously, the hearing was interrupted as the court panel withdrew from the case.

“You can’t continue without the completion of suspect’s statement. He must have been here in the courtroom according to the face-to-face principal,” plaintiff attorney Murat Yılmaz told the court. 

He also requested the arrest of the suspect. After a brief intermission, the court penal ordered the suspect to stand trial on the next hearing with a notice. The ruling was received with applause in the courtroom. 

“Prison is the safest place”

“We have nothing to say against my client’s standing trial. However, he is receiving threats by terrorist organizations. His transfer requires high levels of security measures,” Şahbaz’s attorney said. 

Kazım Bayraktar, Sarısülük family attorney, raised an objection. 

“If you think, he is targeted by terrorist organizations, the safest place is the prison.”  

“Are they going to protect killers with killers?” mother Sayfi Sarısülük cried. (SK/AS/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.