Lawyer Karabulut: Attack was carried out very professionally

* Photo: Archive (from the attack on the family on May 12)

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Armed assailants raided the house of the Dedeoğulları family in the Hasanköy Neighborhood in Konya's Meram in the evening hours on July 30, shot seven people to death, set the house on fire and fled.

Abdurrahman Karabulut, the lawyer of the family, has spoken to bianet about the preliminary autopsy report of the massacred Yaşar Dedeoğulları, Barış Dedeoğulları, Serpil Dedeoğulları, Serap Dedeoğulları, İpek Dedeoğulları, Metin Dedeoğulları and Sibel Dedeoğulları.

CLICK - 7 people from Kurdish family killed at home in racist assault

'Over 20 bullets were fired'

Noting that more than 20 bullets were fired at seven people, lawyer Karabulut says, "This raises the suspicion that the murder was committed by more than one person or with more than one weapon. It was carried out very professionally and most of them were shot in the head."

Indicating that "they were informed by the prosecutor's office that the perpetrator had links with the family who carried out the previous attack," Karabulut said that 10 people were detained after the incident. The number of the detained increased to 14 as of yesterday (August 1).

'They act like the lawyers of the assaulters'

Lawyer Karabulut also comments on the statement of the Konya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which said, "The allegations that the act was racially motivated do not reflect the truth." Karabulut says:

"Such a statement is nothing but advocating the assaulters. It is confirmed by the clients' statements that this attack was racially motivated."

'Warnings not taken into consideration'

Lawyer Karabulut briefly adds:

"Instead of making such a statement, they have to inquire whether this massacre was carried out with racial motives. This is how a responsible statement is supposed to be. There is a significant number or Kurdish population living here and this statement makes people concerned."

Noting that "they made so many warnings before," the lawyer says, "The warnings were not taken into consideration. The policy of impunity and the release of the detained led to this atrocity. We do not know if the people who are currently in detention are the ones who carried out the first attack. But we think that the assaulter or assaulters are connected."

What happened?

Armed assailants raided the house of Dedeoğulları family in the Hasanköy Neighborhood in Konya's Meram in the evening hours on July 30. They 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 group, then set on fire before leaving.

Living in the same neighbourhood 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," they threatened the family. The racist group also severely wounded the 7-member family, including four women. Of the 7 people arrested after the attack, 5 were released. (RT/SD)