Lawsuit Against 36 People for Attacking CHP Chair: They Shouted ‘Burn Down the House’

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A lawsuit has been filed against 36 suspects as part of the investigation launched into the attack against main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the funeral of a soldier in Çubuk, Ankara on April 21, 2019. Accordingly, the defendants are facing 1 month, 15 days to 28 years, 10 months in prison on the offenses charged.

CLICK - Attack Against CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu

Plaintiffs and aggrieved parties

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), in addition to CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu, Yıldırım Kaya, Murat Emir, Deniz Demir, Barış Bozkurt, Kenan Nuhut, Cahit Yetişir and the CHP are the plaintiffs of the case. Aytuğ Kaan Gök and Remzi Kaygusuz are also among the aggrieved parties.

There are 36 suspects

The indictment has referred to the following 36 people as suspects: Ayhan Bedava, Ayhan Onbaşı, Ayşe Ortapınar, Ayşe Resimci, Büşra Kırık, Cahit Köse, Cihan Karahisar, Elif Gölyeri, Engin Horat, Engin Üce, Eray Kuş, Fahrettin Abacı, Gurbet Sarıyer, Güngör Aşık, Halis Daştan, İrfan Topal, Koray Demirel, Mehmet Küçük, Metin Aslan, Mustafa Amir, Mustafa Baş, Mutlu Bedava, Niyazi Altuntaş, Oğuz Şimşek, Osman Sarıgün, Salih Ateşyürekli, Salih Azder, Salih Çataltepe, Sami Şekerci, Sevim Gölyeri, Vahit Delibaş, Yakup Karakoç, Yakup Karakoç (the son of Yunus), Yunus Cansız, Yunus Karakoç and Yusuf Bedava.

Wilful injury and insult

The indictment has not referred to the attack against Kılıçdaroğlu as a "lynch". Osman Sarıgün, who punched him in the face, has been facing 1 year, 8 months to 3 years, 10 months in prison on charges of "wilful injury of a public officer" and "openly insulting a public officer".

Suspect Gurbet Sarıyer has also been facing up to 28 years, 10 months in prison on charges of "openly inciting to commit crimes", "openly insulting a public officer due to his or her public service", "depriving a public officer of his or her liberty by more than one person due to his or her public service" and "damaging the property owned or used by political parties."

The other suspects have been charged with the following offenses: Wilful injury of a public officer due to his or her public service, attempted wilful injury of a public officer due to his or her public service, deprivation of liberty, resisting to prevent the fulfilment of duty, inciting to commit crime, open insult and damaging the property owned by political parties.

Accordingly, the suspects have been facing 1 month, 15 days to 28 years, 10 months in prison on the offenses charged.

'His attendance at funeral was protested'

The indictment has indicated that Kılıçdaroğlu and the ones accompanying him came to the funeral at around 1.17 p.m., some of the attendants chanted slogans against Kılıçdaroğlu and the ones accompanying him and the attendance of Kılıçdaroğlu at the ceremony was protested.

According to the indictment, following the funeral prayer, protests started again. When Kılıçdaroğlu moved towards his official vehicle, the group chanted slogans and uttered insulting remarks.

The indictment has also recounted that some suspects attempted to throw stones, sticks and plastic bottles when Kılıçdaroğlu was entering the house of Rahim Doruk; some people from the crowd wanted to enter the house; the crowd that gathered in front of the house continued protesting Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and chanted the slogan "Burn down the house." (DB/SD)