Requests rejected in the trial over the attack on Dedeoğulları family

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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In the trial over the racist attack on the Dedeoğulları family, seven members of whom were later massacred on July 30, 2021, the third hearing was held at the Konya 8th High Criminal Court today (April 20).

Taking the floor at the hearing today, the family's lawyer Atilla Kart requested that the prosecution be extended.

As reported by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), lawyer Kart underlined that as new evidence came up, the file of the trial over the racist physical assault on May 12, 2021 heard by the 8th High Criminal Court should be be merged with the file of trial over the deadly attack that claimed the lives of seven people from the Dedeoğulları family in Konya on July 30, 2021.

Recalling that Ali Keleş and Lütfi Keleş, who are arrested pending trial, took the blame for the attack in their confessions, Kart argued that the court offered a ground for the spoliation of evidence.

"Protecting people's law is important; in continuation with this, protecting the law of the Kurd is important," the lawyer underlined.

Handing down its interim ruling, the court has ruled that the fate and whereabouts of the writs written by the court board at previous hearings, but left unresponded shall be asked. The court has rejected the requests for merging the files. Ruling for the continued pre-trial detention of Lütfi and Ali Keleş, the court has also rejected the requests for arresting other defendants. The next hearing will be held on July 1.

What happened?

An armed assailant raided the house of Dedeoğulları family in Konya's Meram in the evening hours on July 30. He shot seven family members to death, set the house on fire and ran away.

Several police and paramedic teams were referred to the scene of the incident upon reports. The dead bodies of Yaşar Dedeoğulları, Barış Dedeoğulları, Serpil Dedeoğulları, Serap Dedeoğulları, İpek Dedeoğulları, Metin Dedeoğulları and Sibel Dedeoğulları were found at home which was first raided by the perpetrator, then set on fire before leaving.

As part of the investigation launched into the attack, 10 people from the Keleş and Altun families and murder suspect Mehmet Altun were arrested.

Along with the assailant, 13 people in total were arrested. But except for Mehmet Altun, all defendants were released in following weeks.

In the indictment, a life sentence aggravated for seven times has been requested for nine defendants for instigating the crime; Mehmet Altun, the murder suspect, also faces a life sentence aggravated for seven times for "premeditated murder with monstrous feelings."

Attack on May 12

Living in the same neighborhood for 24 years, the Dedeoğulları family was subjected to the racist attack of nearly 60 people on May 12. "We are [ultranationalist] idealists, we will not let you live here," a racist group threatened the family and severely wounded 7 family members, including four women. Of the 7 people arrested after the attack, 5 were released.

Lawyer Abdurrahman Karabulut filed a criminal complaint against the local authorities and provincial and district security directors who had not taken adequate measures to protect the family before the attack and the prosecutor and penal judge of peace who had not responded to the requests for protection on charge of "neglect of duty". (RT/SD)