Release of Writer Akhanlı Rejected for the Third Time

The Istanbul 9^th High Criminal Court dismissed the request for the release of detained writer Erdoğan Akhanlı for the third time. Akhanlı was taken into custody under allegations of "connections to an armed organization" when he entered Turkey coming from Germany. Akhanlı has been detained in the Tekirdağ No.2 F Type Prison (west of Istanbul) since 10 August.

On Tuesday (31 August), the court rejected the request made by Akhanlı's lawyer Haydar Erol to lift the decision for his detention. The court had previously declined two other demands to release the writer.

When lawyer Erol asked the Istanbul 11^th High Criminal Court for a copy of the indictment, the court replied that he could be given a copy only after the indictment will have been accepted.

Waiting for the start of the trial

Akhanlı lived in Germany for many years. Upon his return to Turkey, he was arrested because he had been allegedly involved in an attempted armed robbery. Moreover, he stands accused of being connected to the "Turkish People's Liberation Party Re-Liberation Union People's Liberation Forces" organization.

Akhanlı is currently waiting for the decision of the Istanbul 11^th High Criminal Court on the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Public Chief Prosecution. Once the court accepts the indictment it will also announce the date of the first hearing.

Son of robbery victim: Different photographs in the file

Laywer Erol criticises the detention upon the record of a photograph identification given by Mustafa Tutum eighteen years ago on 17 December 1992. Tutum is the son of Yaşar Tutum who died in the robbery.

According to information forwarded to bianet by the lawyer, Mustafa Tutum referred to the photograph of Akhanlı when it was to be added to the file on 27 August 2010 at the 11^th High Criminal Court. In a written petition Tutum said: "This photograph had not been shown to me at the time. I saw this photo for the first time on 13 August 2010 at the Istanbul Police Directorate. I said very clearly then that the person on the picture was not one of the persons involved in the robbery. There is no resemblance between the people on the photographs and the people involved in the incident on 20 October 1989". (EÖ/VK)