Prosecutor Held As Hostage in Istanbul Courthouse

Storming his office in Istanbul Courthouse, DHKC organization members held as hostage Mehmet Selim Kiraz - the prosecutor in charge of Berkin Elvan killing investigation.

İstanbul

Prosecutor Held As Hostage in Istanbul Courthouse

Storming his office in Istanbul Courthouse, the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKC) organization members held as hostage Mehmet Selim Kiraz - the prosecutor in charge of Berkin Elvan killing investigation.

Gravely injured in Istanbul’s Okmeydanı district by a police bomb canister on June 16, 2013 during the Gezi Resistance, Berkin Elvan has been in comatose for 269 days on March 11, 2014.

According to Halkinsesi.tv, DHKC, an organization in Turkey’s “terrorism” list, announced that they “will kill Prosecutor Kiraz if their terms are not met within 3 hours”.

Halkın Sesi TV also released on Facebook a photo of DHKC members in the office of the prosecutor and pointing a gun towards him.

According to Al Jazeera Turk, gunshots were heard from the room of the prosecutor located in the courthouse.

The terms of DHKC members are as follows:

* Pleading guilty of Berkin Elvan's killing suspect policemen live on TV.

* Trial of the suspected policemen.

* Removal of charges of everyone who has been prosecuted, detained, arrested, fired for attending demonstration to support the cause of Berkin Elvan.

* Safe exit of DHKC members in security.

* Communication with the delegation formed by Ümit Kocasakal, Sezgin Tanrıkulu, an advocate from Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), one member from People's Assembly...

DHKC’s deadline will run out at 3:36pm local time. (AS/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.