Lawyer Charged for Criticising Official for Massacred Prisoners

One out of two cases against Selçuk Kozağaçlı, President of the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) started on Wednesday (28 July). He is sued for compensation by Ali Suat Ertosun, member of the Judges and Prosecutors High Council (HSYK) because of an alleged attack on Erotsun's personal rights.

The first hearing was held at the Ankara Courthouse. More than 200 lawyers presented a petition to represent Kozağaçlı. About 50 of them attended the hearing. The ÇHD President is facing a TL 25,000 (€12,500) compensation claim at the Ankara 21^st Criminal Court of First Instance.

"Return to Life" operation

Complainant Ertosun was Prisons and Arrest Stations General Director in 2000 when the police violently ended the "death fasts" of hundreds of political prisoners, called the "return to life" operation. The Prisoners had protested against a transfer from large wardens to F-type cells with only 3 or 4 prisoners.

During the "return to life" operation on 19 December 2000 28 prisoners and 2 soldiers were killed in 28 prisons.

Criticizing the people who awarded Ertosun

Kozağaçlı is tried on the grounds of a speech delivered on the occasion of the 9^th anniversary of the "Return to Life" operation. The prosecution is based on his saying, "According to us, the ones who awarded the Prisons and Arrest Stations General Director, Judge Ali Suat Ertosun, with a medal during the massacre, have not considered the judgeship of his suspicious qualification but his bloody role in the prison massacre. The most suitable promotion for Ali Suat Ertosun would be the dock".

Kozağaçlı harshly criticized that Ertosun, in whose term more than a hundred detainees were killed, was awarded the Medal for Excellent State Service. This application can be considered as the "protection of Ertosun" in Kozağaçlı's opinion.

Kozağaçlı put forward that Ertosun's position in the HSYK created "quite a power" for the judges to decide against him.

The ÇHD President is facing prison sentence in another trial that was opened because of the same speech according to Article 125 of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) (Defamation) and is tried at the Ankara 9^th Magistrate Criminal Court. (EÖ/VK)