Victim's Mother Faces Higher Sentence than Perpetrator
20-year-old Baran Tursun was killed by the police on 25 November 2007 in his car when he allegedly ignored the police's stop warning. Tursun's family showed a strong reaction when defendant police officer Oral Emre Atar was released pending trial on 14 January 2008. His mother, Berrin Tursun, rose against the court's decision and his father had stated that he did not trust the judiciary and broke a pen after the hearing.
The prosecutor of the 5th Criminal Court of First Instance in Karşıkaya (Izmir) demanded a higher sentence for the victim's mother than for the defendant who allegedly killed her son.
The Karşıkaya 1st High Criminal Court decreed for imprisonment of 25 months for defendant Atar by reason of "causing death by negligence of duty". He had been released pending trial after the first hearing of the case. Tursun's mother, who protested the court's decision of release, is facing imprisonment of 41 months on the other hand.
41 months for the mother, remaining family members to be acquitted
A case was launched with Baran Tursun's father Mehmet Tursun, his mother Berrin Tursun and his sister Şelale Tursun under charges of "influencing officials of the judiciary" and "insulting the state, the judiciary, the military and the Police forces". Representatives of non-governmental organizations also stand trial together with the family. The case will be continued on 17 May.
The hearing on 26 April was attended by un-detained defendant Mehmet Dursun, the Dursun family lawyer Nezahat Paşa Bayraktar and defence lawyer Tolga Yurdakul.
The judge announced that an expert report was added to the case file. Each lawyer received a copy of the report. Lawyer Bayraktar requested to allow some time in order to review the report. The court accepted.
In the subsequent final speech of the prosecution, the prosecutor demanded the acquittal of all defendants apart from the victim's mother Berrin Tursun.
Father of the victim: This case will be taken before an international court
Mehmet Tursun addressed the court president, "We experienced an unjust trial because you were biased as a judge and both because of your biased attitude and your attitude against just and legal ethics. I will bring your unfair trial methods, your decision and this trial before an international court. Thus I request a complete record of what I said in order to create the necessary evidence".
The judge had the entire statements made by Mehmet Tursun taken to the record again upon his request.
Another 10 years' sentence demanded in second case
Another trial launched against Berrin, Mehmet and Şelale Tursun was launched under similar allegations and was continued yesterday (27 April). The prosecutor of the Karşıkaya 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance demanded prison sentence between five and ten years for each of the family members. (EÖ/VK)