Judge Replaced Ahead of Summary Judgement in Soma Trial

Click to read the article in Turkish

Judge of Soma Trial Aytaç Ballı’s place of duty has been changed ahead of the summary judgement to be held on July 11.

Of the trial lawyers Berrin Demir said that “The trial has been continuing for three years. The judge listened to everybody one by one. He knows where everyone died name by name. Changing his place of duty just before the verdict is an obvious interference”.

Heavy Penal Judge Salih Pehlivanoğlu was assigned as the new chief judge.

301 miners lost their lives, 162 others were  injured in the occupational homicide in Soma district in Manisa province on May 13, 2014.

The court board asked prosecutor to submit his dictum concerning the verdict on July 11. It was expected that a verdict would be rendered on July 11.

“He was a very conscientious judge who knew the file very well”

Demir said that Aytaç Ballı was a very conscientious judge who knew the file to the letter:

“Judge Aytaç Ballı was a conscientious. He has lived through the massacre with the families from the beginning. He knew by heart those who died. He would render a proper verdict. He had faced up to this.

“This judge was the one who knew the file best including us. He knows where everyone died name by name. Changing his place of duty just before the verdict is an obvious interference”. (NV/TK)