Families Who Lost Their Loved Ones in Çorlu Train Derailment: We Won’t Let Unlawfulness

Click to read the article in Turkish

The families of 25 people who lost their lives in Çorlu train derailment on July 6, 2018, have denounced that a lawsuit has been filed against only four personnel of the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) regarding the accident.

Standing a justice watch in front of Çorlu Courthouse for that reason since April 19, the families have taken their watch to the Constitutional Court.

The families will also appeal to the Constitutional Court against the verdict of non-prosecution previously given for the chief conductor, engine drivers, bureaucrats and senior officials of the TCDD. They were in front of the court before they made their appeal today (June 12).

Police first intervened with shields

Gathering in front of the Constitutional Court in Ankara to make a statement for the press before their appeal, the families were also supported by members and lawyers of the Association for Social Rights (SHD), lawyers from the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), Labor Party of Turkey (TİP) MP Barış Atay, Republican People's Party (CHP) İzmir MP Ali Sertel and former CHP MP Aylin Nazlıaka.

However, before the families read out the statement for the press, the police intervened against them. Dragging the families to the sidewalk with their shields, the police battered the families and lawyers.

Police intervention continued with plastic bullets

Addressing the police officers trying to prevent them, CHP MP Sertel said, "What is at stake here is the human life. Children died there, so did the police. If you push it, you will cause damage. You will bring damage to the police organization, the government, the law."

Despite being battered, families insisted on reading out their statement. This time, the police intervened against them with plastic bullets. The grandfather of nine-year-old Oğuz Arda Sel, who was among the ones who lost their lives in Çorlu, fainted during the intervention.

Speaking after the second attack, ÇHD İstanbul Chair Gökmen Yeşil said, "25 people, including 7 children, were killed. The sensitivity shown to sidewalks and highways was not displayed to this case file. We want the state to show sensitivity towards this file. 7 children were killed, 7 children!"

Statement read out despite police intervention

Despite two police interventions, the families who lost their loved ones in Çorlu could hold their statement for the press:

"Neither do they investigate any officials, nor do they bother to find the real culprits. We, as the families who lost their loved ones in this incident, are saying, 'Enough is enough now.'

"Several people, especially the Minister of Transportation, Director General of the TCDD, bureaucrats and senior officials, have responsibility there."

Concluding their remarks, the families said, "We will continue revealing this unlawfulness at the courthouse, on the street, at squares and everywhere where we can make our voices heard until the day when the real responsible ones are found and penalized as they deserve. We will not let this unlawfulness. We know that millions of people who do not accept this unlawfulness are together with us."

About the indictment

Four employees of the TCDD, namely Turgut Kurt, Özkan Polat, Çetin Yıldırım and Celaleddin Çabuk, will have their first hearings on July 3, 2019. They are charged with "reckless killing and injury." (EMK/SD)

* Photographs: Serkan Alan