Police Shooting Abdullah Cömert Sentenced to Prison

Police officer Ahmet Kuş causing death of Abdullah Cömert by shooting him with gas cartridge has been sentenced to 13 years and 4 months of prison over “involuntary manslaughter”. Kuş hasn’t been arrested, international travel ban has been imposed.

Ayça Söylemez

Police Shooting Abdullah Cömert Sentenced to Prison

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The lawsuit as to Abdullah Cömert who was killed in Gezi protests in Hatay tried by Balıkesir 2nd Heavy Penal Court was concluded today (March 14).

Defendant police Ahmet Kuş has been sentenced to 13 years and 4 months of prison over “involuntary manslaughter”. Kuş hasn’t been arrested, judicial control decision has been issued. The judicial control involves only international travel ban.

Lawyers of Cömert family, Hatice Can and Eren Can in their statement to bianet expressed that “they will take the case to appeal to have Kuş be penalized over intentional murder but the decision is important in terms of being exemplary with respect to struggle against impunity”.

Both lawyers underlined their determination to continue their struggle against impunity. (AS/TK)

What had happened?

The investigation regarding Abdullah Cömert, hit by a tear gas canister during Gezi Park events on 3 June 2013 and lost his life after being hospitalized, have been concluded on 14 April 2014.

According to the bill of indictment accepted by Hatay 2nd High Criminal Court, the police officer Ahmet Kuş is being tried on the grounds of Article 81/1 and 21/1 of Turkish Penal Code which rule “killing with eventual intent”.

The first hearing of the case was held on 4 July in Hatay 2nd High Criminal Court.

However, before the first hearing, the lawyer representing suspect Kuş applied for the case to be transferred to another city.

Hatice Can, lawyer representing Cömert, has explained that the right to a fair trial is violated.

However, the objection made by lawyer Can was not taken into consideration and the case was transferred to Balıkesir 2nd High Criminal Court with a decision by Penal Department No. 5 of the Supreme Court.

The case is seen in Balıkesir, the witnesses and Cömert family will attend the court hearing from Hatay and the suspect police officer Ahmet Kuş will attend from Mersin. The request for the arrest of Kuş, however, has been rejected.

Ayça Söylemez

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Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Felsefe Bölümü mezunu. Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi Sosyoloji bölümünde yüksek lisans yaptı. Marmara Üniversitesi İletişim Bilimleri’nde doktora yapıyor. Vatan, Akşam, HaberTürk ve Hürriyet gazetelerinin yazıişleri ve dış haberler bölümünde çalıştı. Güncel Hukuk dergisinde yazıları yayınlandı. BirGün’de Anonim adlı köşeyi yazıyor. 2011’den bu yana bianet’te İnsan Hakları Editörü.