Sarp Kuray Sentenced to Life Again

Istanbul 9th High Criminal Court sentenced Sarp Kuray to life sentence again. Jailed in Sincan High Security Prison, Kuray has applied to ECHR which ruled a re-trial due to lack of fair trial. 

In yesterday’s hearing, Sarp Kuray made his last defense, saying that the “case was controversial” and reminded that he was convicted of any charges expect being “an illegal organization member”. 

“I didn’t give any orders for any action,” he said.  

“You are charging me with forcefully changing the constitution. You are talking about an organization to do that. There is nobody else except me who is jailed for these charges. Two other fugitives and I.”

He also complaint that he was only faced with one of three witness who testified against him. 

“that witness already denied the information. I wanted to face the other two witness but it didn’t happen. This is how facing happens. The court even didn’t listen to them. It is obvious that I didn’t give any orders,” he continued. 

“Sooner or later justice will prevail in the history and people’s conscious. For all these reasons and provided evidence, we are requesting the acquittal of our client,” said advocate Saygın Bedri Gider. 

Following the last defense, the court announced that it found Kuray guilty who will remain in prison for another 3 years.

What happened?

After 15 years of trial between 1993 and 2008, Kuray has been standing trial. On February 5, 2009, he has been put into prison. His life sentence was set to 20 years which will be executed for 10 years.  

Kuray has been charged with being the leader of “16 June Movement”, an “illegal organization” that allegedly committed around 30 crimes between 1986 and 1990 including murder, abduction, assault and bombing. Despite overthrown by the Suppreme Court of Appeals twice, he was sentenced to life.

Kuray (67) was foreseen to remain in prison for 7.5 years within a series of reduction in 2008. He has been serving in Sincan High Security Prison for the past 4.5 years. (AS/BM)

* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.