Court hears witnesses in police murder trial

Emel Korkmaz, the mother of Ali Ihsan Kormaz, raises her fist as she leaves the courthouse of Kayseri after attending a hearing yesterday in the trial of eight men accused of her son’s murder.

AFP

Kayseri, Turkey

A Turkish court heard testimony yesterday that eight men, including four police officers, pummelled a teenage protester to death with baseball bats and truncheons during anti-government demonstrations last year.

Ali Ismail Korkmaz, 19, died after being repeatedly beaten during protests in the western city of Eskisehir on June 2 in an attack that was caught by security cameras.

He was one of eight people to die in the three weeks of unrest that convulsed the country.

“I saw Ali Ismail being kicked on his back and head again and again,” Semih Berkay Yapici, an eyewitness, told the court.

“He lost his balance, fell on the ground, hit his head on a stone and lost consciousness. His eyes were closed,” he said in testimony that moved several in the courtroom to tears.

Yapici said once Korkmaz regained consciousness he was again kicked in the head.

He tried to flee, but was then set upon by plain-clothes police officer, one wearing a gas mask, who ruthlessly kicked and beat him on the legs.

“He then took a turn and went out of my sight,” said Yapici. “His face is etched into my memory.”

Korkmaz was wearing a “World Peace” T-shirt at the time of the attack. He suffered a brain haemorrhage and died after 38 days in a coma.

Turhan Gurler, a friend who took Korkmaz to hospital, told the court: “Blood was pouring down his face and there were bruises. I asked him what happened and he answered he was beaten with batons on his head.”

Eight men, including four officers, are accused of premeditated murder and face up to life in prison if convicted. They deny the charges.

An expert report analysing mobile phone signals and published in local media this month suggested the suspects may have been in the same area as Korkmaz on the day of the incident.

“New evidence outlined in the expert report discredits the police testimony,” Gurkan Korkmaz, the victim’s elder brother and also a lawyer, told AFP. “We are demanding the immediate arrest of the suspects pending trial.”

There were tense scenes in the courtroom as defence lawyers grilled the witnesses with questions that the victim’s family later described as “provocative”.

Around 1,000 protesters gathered outside the courthouse in Kayseri yesterday despite tight security measures. Riot police were on standby, and major roads were closed to traffic.

“Ali’s murderer is the AKP police”, they chanted, referring to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). “Young people will take over and the AKP will go.”

Many were young people who had taken part in last year’s street demonstrations. Some carried portraits of Korkmaz.

“The youth will hold the murderers accountable,” 15-year-old Mustafa told AFP.

Korkmaz’s parents were applauded as they entered the courtroom. “I will keep on fighting until the end,” his mother Emel told reporters outside the court house.

“Mother, don’t cry, your sons are here,” protesters shouted in solidarity.