15 months left till the expiry of statute of limitations in ‘Musa Anter Case’

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Merged with the lawsuit filed into the assassination of journalist Musa Anter in 1992, Ayten Öztürk and Gendarmerie Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism (JİTEM) Organization Main Case continued with the 30th hearing at the Ankara 6th Heavy Penal Court yesterday (April 7).

Taking the floor at the hearing, Mehmet Selim Okçuoğlu, the attorney of the Anter family, said that the case is faced with the threat of expiry of statutory limitations, considering the date when Anter was murdered.

Noting that there was information as to the killing of Cemil Işık abroad, Okçuoğlu demanded the separation of the merged files so that a result could be obtained in the trial. Okçuoğlu briefly stated:

"On the other side, the fact that the defense of defendant Abdulkadir Aygan (Aziz Turan), who is abroad, cannot be taken despite the interim judgements of the court shows that the Justice Ministry does not act in cooperation with the court. We demand that this issue be addressed and the case file be concluded after the merged files are separated."

Attorneys demand separation of files

Okçuoğlu reminded the court board that the matters in dispute were previously taken to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

"The case heard here now is, in fact, a case on the violation of right to life indicated in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). I would like to further indicate that the ECHR's principle of right to a fair trial within reasonable time is violated as well. We demand that the court hand down a ruling by taking all these matters into consideration," the attorney added.

Taking the floor afterwards, defendant Hamit Yıldırım's attorney Kaya Yelek demanded that the request for the separation of the files be rejected and the judicial control measure on Yıldırım be lifted.

Announcing its interim judgement after the statements of the defendants, the court board has ruled that another letter shall be sent to the Justice Ministry to take the defense of defendant Abdulkadir Aygan; the warrants issued against defendants Abdülkadir Aygan, Mahmut Yıldırım, Muhsin Gül, Mehmet Zahir Karadeniz and Fethi Çetin shall remain in force; and the red notice issued for Mahmut Yıldırım shall remain in effect.

The court board has rejected the request for the separation of the files. It has also ruled that the judicial control measure on defendant Hamit Yıldırım shall remain in effect. The next hearing will be held on July 7.

(HA/SD)