Police Officer Arrested in Murder of Recep Hantaş in Diyarbakır

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One police officer has been arrested for causing the death of 20-year-old Recep Hantaş in Sümer Park in Diyarbakır.

Taken into custody as part of the investigation launched into the death of Hantaş by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, two police officers were taken to the Diyarbakır Courthouse to depose today (April 15).

Deposing to the Prosecutor's Office, the officers were referred to the court on duty to be arrested. While the court has ruled for the arrest of one police officer, it has ruled for the release of the other on probation.

In a statement released by the Governorship of Diyarbakır, it was indicated that Hantaş was shot after he disobeyed the stop warning of the police.

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Efe Hantaş, the big brother of Recep Hantaş, stated, "Police officers said that my brother was killed by mistake." He also said that his brother was threatened by the police before.

'Execution...'

Speaking to Veysi Sözen from the T24 news website, Ege Hantaş has stated that he identified his brother in the mortuary and continued as follows:

"One bullet hit him in the head, one bullet on the face, one bullet in the chest and one bullet in the foot.

"If it had been done by mistake, then there would be a single bullet; however, four deadly bullets hit the body of my brother.

"The fact that bullets were fired from a close distance proves that it was an execution. If he did not obey the stop warning, then they should have shot him on the feet. Why was he killed with four bullets?

"A year ago, my brother told me that police were constantly offering him to be an agent and pressuring him into accepting the offer. We will follow hard behind this case."

The Diyarbakır Bar Association will also make a statement for the press regarding the death of Recep Hantaş later in the day today. (EKN/SD)