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COURT RULING WILL SHOW HOW TURKEY SEES ARMENIANS, SAYS BALIKCI'S MOTHER
armradio.am
17:40 07.11.2012
The family of a young man of Armenian descent shot dead by a fellow
private while performing his military service in Batman has told
the court in the murder trial that the verdict will show whether
or not Turkey sees its Armenian population as "the other," Today's
Zaman reported.
Pvt. Sevag 癬^ahin Bal覺kci was killed at the Gumu癬_g繹rgu gendarmerie
station in Batman's Kozluk district on April 24, 2011, the day of
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Prime suspect K覺vanc Agaoglu, backed by witnesses, initially claimed
he had caused Bal覺kci's death accidentally while cleaning his rifle.
Later, however, one of the witnesses changed his testimony, altering
the course of the trial and creating the impression that Bal覺kci was
shot because he was of Armenian descent. Agaoglu was released on bail.
The Diyarbakir 2nd Air Force Command Military Courtis hearing the
trial, the ninth session of which was held on Monday, when a quarrel
broke out between the accused and Bal覺kci's family.
Ani Bal覺kci, the victim's mother, was the first to be heard by the
court. "Your decision will show whether we [Turkish Armenians] are
'the other.' This is all I would like to say," she stated.
Ismail Cem Halavurt, a lawyer for the Bal覺kci family, requested the
court reject a defense application for a media ban on the hearings,
stating to the court: "If there is a press ban in this court, will
Turkey stop talking about the Armenian issue? Or will people not
talk about deaths in the army? This is why we demand that the press
ban be overruled. Even if we don't like certain thoughts, we should
treat them as part of free speech in a democratic society."
Ibrahim G繹k, a defense lawyer, claimed that the co-plaintiffs and
their attorneys were attempting to remove the trial from its legal
context and drag it onto the political stage. "The [plaintiff] has
asked political parties to monitor the file. There is nothing that
concerns political parties here. We should not drive the topic out
of the legal context. I don't think there is an Armenian problem
inTurkey. It is wrong to connect this case to the 1915 incidents.
There is no Armenian problem inTurkey. We should stick with the real
issue here. This is why we want a press ban. We are of the opinion
that there is an attempt to politicize the trial."
Yalc覺n Torun, a lawyer for Sadrettin Ers繹z, a noncommissioned officer
facing charges of negligence, also called for an overrule of the
press ban, saying closing the court to the media could foster needless
suspicions. He further requested that the prosecution file a criminal
complaint against Kenan Uzyetici, commander of the Gumu癬_g繹rgu
gendarmerie station, over his alleged negligence in the incident.
The court also filed charges against Halil Ek癬_i, a private who has
changed his testimony on the incident several times, and Bulent Kaya,
an uncle of the defendant, who has been accused of threatening Ek癬_i
to influence his testimony. The request for a media ban was rejected,
Today's Zaman informs.
armradio.am
17:40 07.11.2012
The family of a young man of Armenian descent shot dead by a fellow
private while performing his military service in Batman has told
the court in the murder trial that the verdict will show whether
or not Turkey sees its Armenian population as "the other," Today's
Zaman reported.
Pvt. Sevag 癬^ahin Bal覺kci was killed at the Gumu癬_g繹rgu gendarmerie
station in Batman's Kozluk district on April 24, 2011, the day of
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Prime suspect K覺vanc Agaoglu, backed by witnesses, initially claimed
he had caused Bal覺kci's death accidentally while cleaning his rifle.
Later, however, one of the witnesses changed his testimony, altering
the course of the trial and creating the impression that Bal覺kci was
shot because he was of Armenian descent. Agaoglu was released on bail.
The Diyarbakir 2nd Air Force Command Military Courtis hearing the
trial, the ninth session of which was held on Monday, when a quarrel
broke out between the accused and Bal覺kci's family.
Ani Bal覺kci, the victim's mother, was the first to be heard by the
court. "Your decision will show whether we [Turkish Armenians] are
'the other.' This is all I would like to say," she stated.
Ismail Cem Halavurt, a lawyer for the Bal覺kci family, requested the
court reject a defense application for a media ban on the hearings,
stating to the court: "If there is a press ban in this court, will
Turkey stop talking about the Armenian issue? Or will people not
talk about deaths in the army? This is why we demand that the press
ban be overruled. Even if we don't like certain thoughts, we should
treat them as part of free speech in a democratic society."
Ibrahim G繹k, a defense lawyer, claimed that the co-plaintiffs and
their attorneys were attempting to remove the trial from its legal
context and drag it onto the political stage. "The [plaintiff] has
asked political parties to monitor the file. There is nothing that
concerns political parties here. We should not drive the topic out
of the legal context. I don't think there is an Armenian problem
inTurkey. It is wrong to connect this case to the 1915 incidents.
There is no Armenian problem inTurkey. We should stick with the real
issue here. This is why we want a press ban. We are of the opinion
that there is an attempt to politicize the trial."
Yalc覺n Torun, a lawyer for Sadrettin Ers繹z, a noncommissioned officer
facing charges of negligence, also called for an overrule of the
press ban, saying closing the court to the media could foster needless
suspicions. He further requested that the prosecution file a criminal
complaint against Kenan Uzyetici, commander of the Gumu癬_g繹rgu
gendarmerie station, over his alleged negligence in the incident.
The court also filed charges against Halil Ek癬_i, a private who has
changed his testimony on the incident several times, and Bulent Kaya,
an uncle of the defendant, who has been accused of threatening Ek癬_i
to influence his testimony. The request for a media ban was rejected,
Today's Zaman informs.