'Treat the murderer like a murderer': Lawyers protest court in Deniz Poyraz case

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The first hearing of the case concerning the armed assault on the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) provincial office in İzmir in June was held today (December 29). Party worker Deniz Poyraz was killed in the attack.

Tensions rose in the courtroom after Onur Gencer, the perpetrator, turned to Poyraz's family and laughed while he was being taken out of the courtroom for "toilet needs." 

The attendees said, "You didn't bring the murderer here to put him on trial but for show" and chanted the slogan, "Murderers will be held accountable to the public."

Later during the hearing, a brawl occurred in the courtroom as the defendant swore at the Poyraz family.

There are more than 500 attorneys for the Poyraz family in the case.

Deniz Poyraz's mother Fehime Poyraz, her father Abdülilah Poyraz, HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan, the party's executives, parliamentary group deputy chairs and MPs, as well as MPs of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) attended the hearing.

The hearing at the İzmir 6th Penal Court in the Bayraklı Courthouse was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. but was delayed for about two hours after it was transferred to the 13th Heavy Penal Court conference hall because of the high number of attendees.

After the statements of plaintiff attorneys, the court adjourned the case to January 24.

Defendant was "taken to the toilet"

After the defendant was taken out of the courtroom, plaintiff attorneys told the judge, "If this decision was not made by you and law enforcement officers took the defendant by their own will, we'll file a criminal complaint. If you made the decision, it should have been declared in this hall."

The presiding judge responded, "Permission was requested due to the defendant's toilet needs, and I gave permission."

"He is challenging us"

HDP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair Meral Danış-Beştaş said, "He is walking upright, challenging us. While MPs are detained with their heads pulled down, a murderer challenges us."

Attorney Türkan Aslan told the judge, "He is smiling while looking at the family. He is trying to provoke them. He should look down because he is a murderer. You should have made this warning."

After this, the judge told the defendant, "Don't make provocative gestures. Don't look at the family and attendees."

"A killer trained in Syria"

During the defendant's identification, the judge said, "He has a high school education."

HDP's Buldan responded, "He received his education in Manbij [a city in Syria]. He is a killer trained in Manbij. You can't as questions as calmly as this. Treat the murderer like a murderer. This guy received training from ISIS."

Meanwhile, several plaintiff attorneys demanded the removal of three people among the attendees, whom they said had police clothing and weapons.

After these people went out of the courtroom, tensions rose again. The attorneys demanded the three people's identities be recorded in the court minutes, which was done.

Attorney Türkan Aslan said gendarmerie officers with long-barreled rifles were present in the courtroom and this should be recorded in the minutes as well. The court board recorded this situation in the minutes.

Then Aslan demanded the indictment be read out and attorneys make an assessment of the indictment. The court rejected this request.

"Bahçelievler attack was a salute"

Before talking about the deficiencies of the indictment, Aslan said yesterday's (December 28) attack on HDP Bahçelievler district office in İstanbul was carried out to "salute Onur Gencer."

When these two events taken into account together, it could be clearly seen that the İzmir attack was "organized and planned," said the attorney.

Collection of evidence

The plaintiff attorneys criticized the prosecution for focusing only on the assilant and failing to reveal the organization behind the attack.

The indictment was not prepared meticulously and was about only a single perpetrator, which caused negligence and spoliation of evidence, said the lawyer.

The legal means and resources available to the prosecutor's office were not used to reveal the background of the attack. On the contrary, they were used to manipulate the material reality, she said.

"It is highly disputable whether te Anti-Terror Branch of the İzmir Security Directorate, which collected and interpreted ... the evidence in the name of the prosecutor's office, acted impartially and independently, since the HDP was the aggrieved party."

Brawl in the courtroom

As the court recessed the hearing, assailant Onur Gencer swore at Deniz Poyraz's sister and advanced towards the Poyraz family. Then a brawl occurred in the courtroom as attendees attempted to attack Gencer.

"How can he attack the family while they were 20 soldiers around him*" said the attorneys.

(RT/VK)