‘Court board protects the murderers’

* Photo: Dilek Şen

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The trial over the train derailment that claimed the lives of 25 people, including seven children, and wounding over 300 others in Çorlu on July 8, 2018 continues in Tekirdağ province today (September 7).

Before the hearing started at 10.15 am, the families who lost their loved ones  marched to the Çorlu Public Training Center, where the hearing would be held. Expressing their demands for the trial of the real responsible parties, the families said that they would wait for Mümin Karasu, Ahmet Aslan, Ali İhsan Uygun and İsa Apaydın to appear before the judge.

Having lost her 9-year-old son Oğuz Arda Sel, Mısra Öz said, "We will see today what the prosecutor did and did not do. These murderers had the blood of 25 people on their hands. The responsibility for justice lies in the files standing before Prosecutor Galip Yılmaz Özkurşun."

'We are waiting for the responsible parties'

After the hearing started, Oğuz Arda Sel's grandfather Mehmet Öz took the floor and expressed their expectation that justice would be served. "We have been coming to court for 3 years," he said, adding:

"We have been waiting for the real responsible parties for three years. We look at the right side, the place where defendants stand is empty. If there is no justice, then, let this court not be here, either."

Having lost her sibling, Saliha Erbil also said, "We are afraid that you will put us on trial as well. Why is there no fair trial? What are we waiting for for three years? How many more years will we wait? I also ask you what you are afraid of. Are you afraid because you have put journalists, our friends and relatives of the deceased on trial? If you won't judge, then, step aside."

Having lost her daughter, sibling and niece in the massacre, Zeliha Bilgin said, "Why have we been dragged here for three years? We want justice, we want nothing else. My child lies in the cemetery at the back. I am seeking justice on the roads where she would be going to school today."

'You are protecting the murderers'

Taking the floor afterwards, Mısra Öz said that she would like to speak on behalf of her son Oğuz Arda Sel and asked the court board: "How are you? How was your summer break?" She briefly added:

"I wonder what Prosecutor Galip Yılmaz Özkurşun has done for six months. We did not wait for six months to see your faces.

"The four defendants are here again. Binali Yıldırım, Ahmet Aslan and İsa Apaydın, who killed 25 people, have not been in the indictment for three years. Your board is protecting the murderers. Justice not served is on the prosecutor's shoulders. Serve justice."

Following Mısra Öz's remarks, the Presiding Judge said, "We have neither the mission nor the aim of protecting murderers. I do not accept your accusations. I did not interrupt you considering your grief."

Necmettin Sel, who lost his grandson Oğuz Arda Sel and his son Hakan Sel, said, "The responsible parties embrace their children. I embrace the graves of my son and grandson. When will these men be brought to account? Who is protecting them? May they come here and give account."

'Erdoğan's shadow cast on the file'

Speaking after the families' statements, lawyer Can Atalay referred to President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and said: "President Erdoğan's shadow has obviously fallen on this file. People have run out of patience, no one is obligated to express it politely. These people do not have to treat you politely.

"Prosecutor Özkurşun is protecting the culprits. Protecting the culprits to such an extent is an indication of being organized. We know that the judiciary has fallen in the hands of a religionist organization."

Atalay demanded that a criminal complaint be filed against Prosecutor Özkurşun on charges of "misconduct in office" and "influencing fair trial."

The prosecutor read out the opinion as to the accusations. The defendants were given the right to have additional time for defense against the charge of "killing with eventual intent." They did not demand additional time, saying that their previous statements were valid.

Defendant Turgut Kurt's lawyer said, "We know that the cause of the murders that happen at the State Railways is the policies of transportation. If we can bring Ali İhsan Uygun and İsa Apaydın here, we will no longer see train murders." The hearing was recessed after the statements. 

The recess ended at 1 pm. The court board has announced that the ninth hearing of the case will be held on January 25, 2022. 

After the court board announced its ruling, the families who lost their loved ones in the Çorlu train derailment came in front of the Çorlu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and protested the prosecutor, chanting the slogans, "The mothers' rage will drown the killers."

(DŞ/NÖ/SD)