CİHAN HAYIRSEVENER TRIAL
Secret Witness not Heard - Again
The third hearing of the trial related to the murder of journalist Cihan Hayırsevener was held before the Istanbul 20th High Criminal Court in Beşiktaş (Istanbul) on 28 February. Hayırsevener, publication director of the Güney Marmara'da Yaşam ('Life in Southern Marmara') newspaper, was killed on 18 December 2009 in Bandırma (south coast of the Sea of Marmara) after he had been threatened because of his articles on corruption. He was shot into his leg in bold daylight and died as the result of blood loss.
18 defendants stand trial because they are allegedly responsible for the murder and on the grounds of corruption in a tender. Three of the defendants are tried with arrest.
The Wednesday hearing was attended by detained defendants İhsan Kuruoğlu who is tried under allegations of murder, Serkan Erakkuş as the alleged instigator and supposed accomplice Kerem Yılmaz.
The court board has a "secret witness" on the agenda since May 2011. However, the witness did not attend the latest hearing either after s/he was already expected to give a statement in the course of the two previous hearings.
The secret witness is supposed to testify on the murder and on relations between certain defendants. Court President İhbrahim Balık informed the involved parties that the Bandırma Police had failed to make the necessary preparations to bring the witness to Istanbul. Therefore, the court decided to summon the witness to the coming hearing on 22 May.
Furthermore, the court requested the residence details of another witness in order to obtain additional information about the murder.
What happened?
After an agreement of the Bandırma High Criminal Court and the Istanbul Special Authority 10th High Criminal Court, the Court of Appeals 5th Criminal Chamber decided that the murder of journalist Hayırsevener was to be seen as the result of tender scheming. Thus, the Court of Appeals decreed that the trial was going to be handled in the scope of organized crime.
Thereupon, the prosecution started on 26 May 2010 before the Istanbul Special Authority 10th High Criminal Court.
Hayırsevener was killed on a busy street in December 2009 after he had reported about corruption in municipality tenders in October 2009.
The next hearing was set for 22 May 2012. (IC)