'Justice shouldn't be crushed under rails'

Photo: Dilek Şen / bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The seventh hearing of the case concerning the 2018 train derailment in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, where 25 people, including seven children, lost their lives and more than 300 were injured, was held today (March 16).

Ahead of the hearing, families of those who lost their lives in the massacre gathered on Santral Square in Çorlu while displaying a banner reading "We want justice" and marched to the Public Education Center, where a courtroom for the trial was set up.

Zeliha Bilgin, who lost her 14-year-old daughter, her sister and niece, made a speech before the hearing, saying, "This is not an accident but murder. Negligence is murder. We have had an unjust war of justice for three years, after two biased boards of experts... There was only one thing I said when I woke up this morning: God, may it be a miracle today and justice finds us."

The list of defendants should expand according to the latest expert report about the incident.

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The hearing

The hearing started at 10.06 a.m.

Opposition MPs Ali Şeker, Sera KAdıgil, Ahmet Şık and Barış Atay were also present at the hearing.

After the start of the hearing, judges read out the second expert report and the additional report.

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) requested to intervene in the case despite being the primary negligent party. The court board rejected its request.

Attorneys of the plaintiffs and defendants made statements.

Mehmet Ektaş, an attorney of defendant Turgut Kurt: The TCDD's responsibility [for the incident] and it being the primary negligent party has been proved. TCDD's intervention for submitting evidence can't be accepted.

Ersin Albus, an attorney of Turgut Kurt: TCDD being on the side of the aggrieved multiplies the pain. They can sit in the audience part.

Hüseyin Çil, the attorney of Zehra Bilgin: There is a verdict regarding the TCDD's request for intervention. We don't accept submissions of evidence at this stage. We think this evidence should be removed from the file.

The prosecutor requested the rejection of the TCDD's request for displaying video evidence.

After that, plaintiffs made statements.

Plaintiff statements

Mehmet Öz, who lost his nine-year-old grandson: Let justice be done, lest the world perish. This is what the justice minister said. I lost my grandson. My daughter is in pain at the hospital. I see Atatürk on my right, the Turkish flag on my left, and the state in front of me. There are a lot of things that are not right in this case. I only want the truth from you.

Zeliha Bilgin, who lost her 14-year-old daughter, sister and niece: We want justice, for which we have been waiting for 982 days, to be served. We don't accept the four defendants. We want those who are really responsible to testify... We want to see the then minister of transport, then general director of the TCDD.

Aysun Köse, who lost her daughter Sena Köse: the culvert that caused the accident is fixed for now. So why have passenger trains not been working all this time? Don't they have the courage to work the same way?

Erkan Duman, who lost his spouse Emel Duman: Sunday was my son's birthday. We once again celebrated it alone. While everyone takes their children to parks on the weekend, I take my son to his mother's grave.

Hüseyin Şahin, who lost his son Serhat Şahin: It's been three years, we have been waiting for justice. After these expert reports, I'd expect you to bring those who are really responsible in front of us. I'd like people like İsa Apaydın and Murat Karasu to come here. I'd like to remind you that you are the prosecutors and judges of the republic.

Diren Yeşil, the attorney of Mısra Öz: I was going to say these while looking you in the eye. But even if I'm on the death bed, my last word will be "I want justice." While I'm standing trying for the heavy criticism I made, the murderers of the 25 people didn't come before the judge. Those who see themselves above everything in this order of the incompetent caused this massacre. Those who are really responsible should stand trial, justice shouldn't be crushed under rails.

Attorneys demanded a criminal complaint be filed against then TCDD General Manager İsa Apaydın and then Minister of Transport Ahmet Aslan.

The interim decision

The hearing continued after a break.

After attorneys requested a criminal complaint against TCDD managers, the prosecutor requested the expansion of the board of experts. Defendants Celalettin Çabuk, Çetin Yıldırım and Özkan Polat said they didn't have anything to say.

The attorney of defendant Turgut Kurt said, "As I have been saying since the beginning, at least one railway person who worked at the TCDD and retired should be included in the board of experts."

Announcing its interim verdict, the court board ruled that it doesn't have the authority to add defendants to the case file. The hearing was adjourned to September 7.

(DŞ/VK)