Mehmet Tursun’s son Baran Tursun was shot dead by Izmir police when driving with two of his friends in the night of 24 November 2007. The police has claimed that he had driven through a police barricade and ignored a command to stop.
The police officer on trial, Oral Emre Atar, was released pending trial at the first hearing of the trial on 14 January. He has claimed that he fell and that a shot was released from the gun because of the fall. However, one bullet hit Tursun in the neck, and three other bullets were found in the car.
Police intimidation at first hearing
The first hearing of the trial was also attended by Lütfü Demirkapi, president of the Izmir branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD). He said, "There was a high level of security at the court, to the extent that people were made uncomfortable. When the high level chiefs of the Izmir Police Department came, the court was crammed full with police. They want to threaten. I could not bear it and left the hearing."
The second hearing is at the Karsiyaka 1st Heavy Penal Court on 11 February 2008. In a letter of invitation, Tursun said that the police was protected by “a shield of impunity”. He called on others to perforate this shield so that other events where the right to life is violated be punished. Tursun demanded for clarity on how his son was killed, as well as prosecution of those responsible, “just like other citizens.”
Tursun called the trial a “possible breaking point” and asked for public and media support at the hearings.
Evidence tampered with
Tursun made the following points:
Father Tursun stated that the police was using the Law on Police Duties and Powers as a guarantee for impunity, and that the whole police force was mobilized in order to prevent the punishment of any one officer. (NZ/TK/AG)