Tear Gas in the Courthouse

The second hearing of Ethem Sarısülük case opened around 9 am local time this morning. Ahmet Şahbaz, the top suspect for shooting Ethem Sarısülük, didn’t attend the hearing in Ankara 6th High Criminal Court. 

The court panel rejected plaintiff attorneys’ request for the jailing of Ahmet Şahbaz. He was, on the other hand, ordered to testify through visual and audio systems. 

Gendarmerie and police forces have tightened up security around the courthouse. 

Police intervened demonstrators who gathered outside Ankara courthouse to follow the hearing of Ethem Sarısülük. TOMA vehicles sprayed water at protestors, while police assaulted with tear gas. Many were affected by tear gas, the first aid was made in ambulances waiting outside the courthouse.

On behalf of plaintiff attorneys, Murat Yılmaz made the following comment:

“We are experiencing police terror here. They want to convey the following message: ‘We killed Ethem. And we will break you up with tear gas.’ People will come here even if they tear gas them, smash their heads.”

First hearing was postponed 

The first hearing was set to Septemmber 21. However, plaintiff lawyers objected to the presence of civil police officers in the courtroom, requested an immediate removal. Tension rose as defendant lawyers objected this request, leading the court penal to remove all the audience in the courtroom. The hearing was later on postponed. 

On the first hearing, the panel judge ordered a closed hearing - which was not applied today.

Suspect policeman charged with “curtailed homicide” 

Prepared by prosecutor Veli Dalgalı, the case indictment charged Şahbaz with “curtailing homicide” according to Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Articles 81 and 27/1. 

The 15-page indictment also claimed that “the direct shooting of Sarısülük did not necessarily mean that the suspect directly fired towards Sarısülük”.  

Kazım Bayraktar, Sarısülük family lawyer, said that the suspect was charged with a prison sentence from 16 months to 5 years - which could result in the release of suspect considering sentence reductions. 

I raised the pistol over my shoulder and fired three times in the air. In the meanwhile, I was subjected to several stones thrown by protestors. Those coups might have unbalanced my stability. A stone targeting my elbow might have shifted my pointing and aimed Sarısülük. Protestors were still throwing stones. I acted in order to protect myself. I think it set all the conditions for gun usage,” Şahbaz said previously. 

Who is Ethem Sarısülük?

Ethem Sarısülük was born in July 1986 into a poor family with 5 children. Forth child, he dropped Abidinpaşa Industrial Profession High School and worked on a variety of jobs including portering and weltering. Lately, he was working in Ankara’s OSTİM Organized Industry Zone.

Shot on June 1, Sarısülük died 14 days later. His funeral was held in his hometown Çorum, a central province of Turkey. (AS)

* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.