Police officers testify at court: We didn’t see, hear or know anything

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The police officer who battered lawyer Zeycan Balcı in front of the İstanbul Courthouse and caused her backbone to break had his hearing at the İstanbul 22nd Penal Court of First Instance today (December 28).

At today's hearing, the colleagues of the defendant were heard as witnesses. Speaking to bianet about the hearing, where she attended as a complainant, lawyer Balcı has indicated that the witness police officers answered all questions with "We didn't see, we didn't hear, we don't know."

Balcı has underlined that there were 20 police officers in total in the scene of the incident and it was impossible for them to witness nothing.

Zeycan Balcı has also said that she is still having pains due to her broken bones, adding that she has got used to living with the pains.

Defendant police officer identified in videos

According to Balcı, in their statements at court, the witnesses said, "We did not see an incident and did not hear a cry, either":

"They were a team of 20, all of them say, 'We didn't see it.' But one of you did it and you know very well who it is... I watched the videos myself for many times, it is seen that the defendant did it, I also identified him at court.

"The defendant police officer has already been identified with the material evidence as well, but he still denies it, he still says that he did not do it. The entire camera footage shows that the defendant is responsible.

"All videos captured by TV cameras in the scene of incident, the surveillance cameras of the courthouse and police cameras have been watched. There is also a Forensic Medicine Institution report on these images. 

"Moreover, lawyer Anıl Arman Akkuş, who testified at court as a witness today and had been next to me at the time of the incident, identified the defendant police officer as well."

'We want the laws to be equally enforced'

Zeycan Balcı has said that the attorney of the defendant accused her of "wanting to take revenge". "We do not want revenge, we want justice. We want the laws to be enforced equally for everyone," she has told bianet.

The next hearing will be held on April 26, 2021.

What happened?

On March 31, 2016, the Contemporary Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) members attempted to make a statement for the press in front of İstanbul Courthouse following a hearing of 22 lawyers for "terrorism-related" offenses.

The police did not allow the lawyers to make a statement and Zeycan Balcı's backbone was broken during the police intervention.

A lawsuit was filed against the police officers for "injury, intentional injury and exceeding limits in using force."

The first hearing of the case was held on December 9, 2019. (AS/SD)