The trial of six individuals charged in connection with the death of Afghan miner Vezir Mohammad Nourtani continued today as suspicions of organ trafficking intensified. Nourtani's body was found burned in a forest near an illegal mine last November in Zonguldak, northern Turkey.
The defendants in custody attended the hearing via videoconference and two of those not in custody were present in the courtroom. One defendant didn’t attend the hearing.
Six suspects face life sentences for killing refugee worker, burning his body
During the hearing, the Nourtani family’s lawyer, Kerim Bahadır Şeker, presented a scientific report from Koç University that he believes will significantly impact the case. Şeker pointed out that while Nourtani's body was identifiable, the burns were especially deep in the area where his kidneys and pancreas were located. He also noted that Nourtani's wife, Qamer Gül Meliki, had testified that Nourtani had been offered 20,000 US dollars for her husband's kidney before his death.
"The defendants should be evaluated for 'murder with monstrous intent' and possibly 'crimes against humanity' due to their collective actions," the lawyer argued.
According to the forensic report, Nourtani's internal organs were burned and his left kidney was missing. It is not known whether the kidney was removed.
Defendants’ statements
One of the defendants in custody, Hakan K., the owner of the illegal mine, denied any involvement in Nourtani's death. He claimed to have provided first aid and done everything possible to save him. His lawyer rejected the scientific report, stating that the official forensic report, prepared by nine experts, should be the sole basis for the case. The lawyer of Ahmet A., another detained defendant, also rejected the university report.
Enver G., who is also detained, denied the organ trafficking allegations, arguing that it would be impossible to remove a kidney in the mine's environment.
The prosecutor requested a new report from the Forensic Medicine Institute to address the discrepancies and demanded the court keep the defendants in custody. In line with this request, the court decided to adjourn the trial until Dec 20 to await the new report and ruled that the defendants will remain in custody.
Meanwhile, outside the courthouse, a scuffle broke out between supporters of the "Migrant Refugee Solidarity Network" and relatives of the defendants. The police intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Background
In the November 2023 incident, Vezir Mohammad Nourtani, a 50-year-old Afghan working in an unlicensed coal mine, was seriously injured when a wagon used to extract coal struck him.
Nourtani was still alive when brought to the surface, according to information in the indictment . However, the suspects, including mine owners Hakan K., Enver G., and Ahmet A., attempted to cover up the incident by burning his body and belongings. Mine worker Sercan K. turned the mine's security camera away. Then, along with Eray D., they burned Nourtani's clothes.
The suspects then placed Nourtani in Hakan K.'s car. After about a three-hour journey, they bought gasoline from a gas station. They then burned the man's body in the forest. The defendants also disposed of the gasoline canister and the blanket used to transport the body.
After the incident, Hakan K. changed the tires of the vehicle. Enver G. called Nourtani's wife and informed her that her husband did not come to work.
The indictment included the autopsy report from the Forensic Medicine Institute. According to the report, Nourtani's body was burnt to the extent of carbonization up to the chest, abdomen, and knee levels. There were losses in internal organs and bones. He was missing his right kidney and pancreas. His jaw and clavicle were also broken. However, the exact cause of death could not be determined due to burns.
According to the indictment, the motive for Nourtani's murder was "to conceal the accident at the unauthorized mine, to prevent the closure of the illegal mine for financial gain, and to obstruct both judicial and administrative proceedings against them."
(VK)