"Unsolved Murder Cases Should not Be Closed by Prescrition"

The "Deep Families" is an organization of 23 three families who lost a relative because of a political murder. The families refer to their group as the "Social Memory Platform" and are drawing attention to the fact that many cases related to political murders are about to be closed by prescription, like the case Kemal Türkler, President of Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK). They addressed the Turkish Parliament with the request to provide a legal solution in order to prevent the closure of the cases.

In the case of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme who was killed in 1986, the Swedish parliament lifted the statute of limitation for legal reasons. The new law to be enforced on 1 July 2010 will prevent the closure of the case which would otherwise become time-barred in the coming year.

19 representatives of the 23 "Deep Families" visited the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) on Thursday (11 February) to talk to political officials. The families issued a brief press release after their meetings.

"We did not come to settle old scores, we are here to communicate"

The joint statement was read by Meryem Türkmen, sister of journalist Metin Göktepe, who was killed in detention. Türkmen informed the press about a petition forwarded to the parliamentary officials requesting to establish a Parliamentary Investigative Commission. She continued, "We did not come with the request to settle old scores but to communicate face to face. We have to find answers to the remaining questions in a joint effort. We know that such crimes will be committed again and again if we do not take that effort. These files will not be closed until we advance to the chain of command and expand into all crimes concealed".

Türkmen finished the statement with a quotation of Prosecutor Doğan Öz who was killed in the course of investigations related to unsolved murders. As Ankara Deputy Prosecutor he had said "We are here to show the situation in its entire clarity and bitterness".

Meetings with major political parties

Meryem Türkmen told bianet that first off all the delegation talked to MP Bekir Bozdağ from ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Afterwards they met Prof. Dr. Zafer Üskül, Head of the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission, Kemal Anadol, Deputy Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and a group of CHP MPs and President of Parliament Mehmet Ali Şahin subsequently. Later on the delegation talked to MPs of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Democratic Left Party (DSP) and finally to officials of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).

Families who signed the petition

The families of journalist and writer Sabahattin Ali, prosecutor Doğan Öz, journalist Abdi İpekçi, prosecutor Cevat Yurdakul, sociologist and writer Cavit Orhan Tütengil, producer and writer Ümit Kaftancıoğlu,  Sevinç Özgüner, socialist trade union leader Kemal Türkler, publisher İlhan Erdost, journalist Çetin Emeç, critic of religion Turan Dursun, Kurdish writer and poet Musa Anter, journalist Uğur Mumcu, folk music singer Nesimi Çimen, poet Metin Altıok, Behçet Aysan, singer Hasret Gültekin, writer and poet Onat Kutlar, archaeologist Yasemin Cebenoyan, Hasan Ocak, journalist Metin Göktepe, historian and intellectual Necip Hablemitoğlu, journalist Hrant Dink. (EÖ/VK)