Killing of Kemal Kurkut: Police officer charged with reckless killing

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The 10th hearing of the case of Kemal Kurkut's killing was held today (June 16) at Diyarbakır 7th Heavy Penal Court.

Y.Ş., the defendant police officer, did not attend the hearing on the ground that he was under coronavirus quarantine. Attorneys of him and the Kurkut family, as well as Ferhat Kurkut, Kemal Kurkut's elder brother, were present at the courtroom.

Announcing its opinion as to the accusations, the prosecutor's office stated that the bullet found in Kurkut's body was fired by Y.Ş.'s weapon, citing an expert report by the General Command of Gendarmerie.

It also cited reports by the National Criminal Bureau (UKB), and İstanbul Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK), which said the bullet entered Kurkut's body after bouncing from the ground.

Y.Ş. also stated that he didn't target Kurkut when opening fire and pleaded not guilty, the prosecutor noted.

"Considering the situation of the defendant at the time of the incident and the number of shots," the prosecutor's office said the police officer "went to extremes" demanded him be sentenced from three to nine years in prison for reckless killing.

The next hearing will be held on September 22.

What happened?

Kemal Kurkut was shot dead by the police at the security checkpoint on Evrim Alataş street near Newroz Park in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakır province on March 21.

In the photos taken at the incident time, Kurkut was seen bare-chested quarreling with police at the checkpoint and starting to run passing through the checkpoint. As some police officers fire in the air, some fire on him.

Dihaber reported that Kurkut was shot despite a police chief ordering "Don't shoot".

Diyarbakır Governorship declared that Kurkut had a knife in his hand, he was "suspected to be a suicide attacker", and an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Born in Adıyaman, Kurkut was a student at İnönü University Fine Arts Faculty Department of Music.

His funeral was held on March 22 in Battalgazi district of Malatya province.

(EMK/VK)