Man sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment over massacre of Kurdish family
Mehmet Altun's detention following the killings. (Photo: AA)
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The person who killed seven members of a Kurdish family last year in the Central Anatolian province of Konya has received aggravated life sentences for each killing. All other defendants have been acquitted.
Mehmet Altun, the assailant, attended yesterday's (November 17) hearing via videoconference, while attorneys of both parties were present at the Konya 4th Heavy Penal Court.
While announcing the verdict, the presiding judge ordered intervening lawyers and Çetin Dedeoğlu, the only surviving member of the Dedeoğulları family, to be removed from the courtroom.
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) politicians also followed the hearing. HDP Parliamentary Group Meral Danış-Beştaş said, "A racist massacre was committed. If we don't call racism racism, we cannot fight racism. Kurds are not equal and free citizens in Türkiye."
On July 30, 2021, Altun stormed the Dedeoğulları family's house in the Meram district, and set fire to the house after shooting everyone inside.
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 perpetrator, then set on fire before leaving.
As part of the investigation launched into the attack, 10 people from the Keleş and Altun families and murder suspect Mehmet Altun were arrested.
Along with the assailant, 13 people in total were arrested. But except for Mehmet Altun, all defendants were released in following weeks.
In the indictment, a life sentence aggravated for seven times has been requested for nine defendants for instigating the crime; Mehmet Altun, the murder suspect, also faces a life sentence aggravated for seven times for "premeditated murder with monstrous feelings."
Living in the same neighborhood 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," a racist group threatened the family and severely wounded 7 family members, including four women. Of the 7 people arrested after the attack, 5 were released.
Lawyer Abdurrahman Karabulut filed a criminal complaint against the local authorities and provincial and district security directors who had not taken adequate measures to protect the family before the attack and the prosecutor and penal judge of peace who had not responded to the requests for protection on charge of "neglect of duty." (AEK/VK)