Emine Şenyaşar given a judicial fine for ‘insulting’ ruling AKP MP Yıldız

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Emine Şenyaşar has been seeking justice for her spouse and two sons who were killed by the security guards and relatives of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Urfa MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız. With her one son arrested now, Şenyaşar has been given a judicial fine for allegedly "insulting a public official" on the grounds of her remarks about the MP.

In the trial over the incident that happened in 2018, Emine Şenyaşar's son Fadıl Şenyaşar was sentenced to 37 years, 9 months in prison while AKP MP's elder brother Enver Yıldız was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Mother Şenyaşar was then charged with "insult" over her remarks before the hearing of this trial that was held on October 2, 2020.

Referring to the speech made by Emine Şenyaşar in front of the Malatya Courthouse before the hearing, the Ankara Batı (West) 6th Criminal Court of First Instance has considered these remarks to be a crime: "This Halil (MP Halil Yıldız) is a money lender, a thief. May they chase after these thieves. May they go after Halil and find out how many people he killed."

In the trial held with the Simple Procedure Method, Emine Şenyaşar was first sentenced to pay a judicial fine corresponding to 354 days. As the trial was held with the Simple Procedure Method, the fine was reduced by one quarter to 265 days. The Ankara Batı 6th Criminal Court of First Instance has ruled that the pronouncement of the verdict shall be deferred.

What happened?

During the election campaign of ruling AKP Urfa MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız in Suruç, Urfa on June 14, 2018, an attack turned into an armed conflict, which claimed the lives of Yıldız's brother Mehmet Şah Yıldız, shop owner Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar and his sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar.

Having lost his father and two brothers and been wounded himself in the incident, Fadıl Şenyaşar was discharged from hospital and detained on June 17. He was then arrested and sent to prison.

Demanding justice for two sons, husband and her arrested son, Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit Şenyaşar, who survived the attack, have been keeping a "justice watch" in front of the courthouse.

There has been a confidentiality order on the file of the investigation into the attack for 3 years, 3 months. The second appeal of the Şenyaşar family against the "confidentiality" order on the investigation into the second attack at the Suruç Public Hospital was rejected on April 21, 2021.

The Constitutional Court, to which the family appealed, has not yet given its decision. One of the demands raised by the family on their justice watch is the removal of this "confidentiality" order. (HA/SD)