Turkey Sentenced by ECHR for Önder Babat Murder Case

Turkey was adjudged to a compensation fine of €20,000 (TL 42,000) by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the murder case of Önder Babat. The ECHR decreed that the investigation launched into the events around the unsolved murder of university student Babat was insufficient.

25-year-old Babat was shot in his head with a 9 mm bullet after he had left the office of the Revolutionary Movement magazine in Beyoğlu (Istanbul) together with three friends. It has not been found out who the attackers were, where they came from and why they shot Babat.

Turkey did not conduct an effective investigation

In the decision taken on 12 January, the ECHR turned down the claim of three Babat family members that Önder Babat became subject to an extrajudicial execution by the state security forces. However, the court accepted the claim that the public officials did not carry out an effective investigation related to the event.

The court ruled for € 15,000 to be paid to Aziz and Azime Babat and another € 5,000 to Marifet Akgün. The ECHR concluded that article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights on the right to life was violated by not conducting an effective investigation. (EÖ/VK)