‘How Could a 12 Year-Old Child Provoke Police’, Asks Attorney of Kazanhan Shot to Death

The verdict has been rendered in the trial of 12 year-old Nihat Kazan’s murder by police in Cizre. The police was first sentenced to aggravated lifetime imprisonment and the sentence was then abated to 13 years and 4 months. The family and attorneys will challenge the decision.

Ayça Söylemez

‘How Could a 12 Year-Old Child Provoke Police’, Asks Attorney of Kazanhan Shot to Death

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Cizre 1st Criminal Court rendered the verdict in the 10th hearing of the trial of 12 year-old Nihat Kazan's murder by police in Cizre.

Nahit Eren, an attorney of Kazanhan family from Diyarbakır Bar Association talking to bianet has explained how that police officer M.N.B's prison sentence was reduced to 13 years and 4 months.

"The court first sentenced police officer M.N.B. put on trial for 'willful murder' to aggravated lifetime imprisonment but later decided that the murder was committed on eventual intent and reduced the sentence to lifetime imprisonment. Afterwards the sentence was once again reduced due to unjust provocation to 16 years in prison and was finally reduced to 13 years and 4 months in prison due to a good conduct abatement".

Police officers U.İ, G.T, O.Ç. and H.V. were also being tried on charges of "not notifying the public personnel about the crime". One police officer was conducted of these crimes and sentenced to 5 months in prison but the announcement of the verdict was deferred. The other three officers were acquitted.

What had happened?

12 year-old Nihat Kazanhan had lost his life due to police opening fire on January 14, 2015 in Cizre district of Şırnak province.

Then-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had stated that the police was not responsible for Kazanhan's death yet soon afterwards footage showing police murdering Nihat was rolled out by the press. (AS/DG)

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.