No Verdict in Controversial Transfer Accident Case

Last year, 5 inmates in Van prison died in a tragic accident when their transfer vehicle to Istanbul set on fire with inmates trapped inside. Kayseri District Criminal Court continued its prosecution on the suspected correction facility staff with most of them not attending the session.

Inmates' family members and defense attorneys were present in the courthouse. Plaintiff attorney suggested the judge that the suspects would testify before the court and a decision to be given on the technical report saying that the transfer vehicle's systems were malfunctioning prior to the accident.

The judge, though, rejected the suggestion and rescheduled the trial to April 2013.

"There is no way we can have the suspects stand for trial and testify before the court," plaintiff attorney Mehmet Sinan Yiğit complained. "They are testifying outside the court to avoid plaintiff interrogation. A cross examination is impossible in this way. We believe that they are trying to present it as a traffic accident which drops the charges of correction facility staff." (EA/HK)