HDP Law Commission: Kemal Kurkut was murdered by the hand of the state

  • actual
  • 12:08 18 November 2020
  • |
img

ANKARA - Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has released a statement about the lawsuit that was filed into the killing of Kemal Kurkut during Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakır and has ended in the acquittal of the defendant police officer.

 
Ümit Dede, the Vice Co-Chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Responsible for Law and Human Rights, has made a statement about the impunity in the lawsuit filed into the killing of Kemal Kurkut.
 
Kemal Kurkut (23) wanted to attend the Newroz celebrations in Turkey's Kurdish-majority Diyarbakır province on March 21, 2017. Having passed the checkpoint, he lost his life after the police opened fire on him.
 
At the final hearing of the lawsuit filed into his killing yesterday (November 17), the Diyarbakır 7th Heavy Penal Court referred to "a lack of conclusive and convincing evidence" and ruled that defendant police officer Y.Ş. should be acquitted of the offense charged.
 
In the HDP's statement about the judicial process that ended in acquittal, it has been stressed that "security forces act behind the armor of impunity."
 
"As a result of the mindset that does not recognize the rule of law and its citizens' democratic rights and uses the governing power at its disposal against people, Kemal Kurkut was massacred by the hand of the state when he was only 23 years old," the HDP has protested.
 
"The massacre of Kemal Kurkut was a result of the failure to investigate the massacres committed by the hand of the state in previous periods and to put the responsible parties on trial," the party has underlined.
 
"Massacring people behind the armor of impunity, the security forces are protected by the government and described as heroes, they are patted on the back by getting ridiculous sentences and they are, in a way, encouraged to commit other massacres. In the current judicial system, 'where a new reform is introduced after yet another', the police who killed Kemal Kurkut before cameras has been acquitted while journalist Abdurrahman Gök faces 20 years in prison for the sole reason that with the pictures he took, he documented how Kemal Kurkut was massacred."
 
Referring to the acquittal of the police officer as "one of the painful examples of impunity policy in the judicial system," the HDP has stressed that the ruling in question has "once again massacred justice, social peace and sense of justice as well as the conscience of society."
 
Extending their condolences to the family and loved ones of Kemal Kurkut one more time, the party has also reiterated its determination to "keep on standing by them in their legal struggle so that the responsible parties will get the highest penalties possible" for killing Kurkut.
 
BACKGROUND
 
Kemal Kurkut was shot dead by the police at the security checkpoint on Evrim Alataş street near Newroz Park in Diyarbakır on March 21, 2017.
 
In the photos taken at the incident time, Kurkut was seen bare-chested quarreling with police at the checkpoint and starting to run passing through the checkpoint. Some police officers fired in the air, some fired on him.
 
Dihaber reported that Kemal Kurkut was shot despite a police chief ordering "Don't shoot". Diyarbakır Governor's Office declared that Kurkut had a knife in his hand, he was "suspected to be a suicide attacker", and an investigation has been launched into the incident.
 
Born in Adıyaman, Kurkut was a student at İnönü University Fine Arts Faculty Department of Music. His funeral was held on March 22 in Battalgazi district of Malatya province. 

View More Articles

18/03/2021
09:52 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 112
09:49 Gergerlioğlu: We will be waiting here until the Constitutional Court decides
17/03/2021
21:48 HDP Co-Chairs: Closing HDP is a blow against democracy
21:02 Chief Prosecutor Şahin asked for a political ban on 600 HDP members
19:19 Following law suit to close HDP, Central Executive Board gathered at parliament
18:49 Turkey's Court of Cassation launches a lawsuit for HDP's closure
18:15 AKP's Özalan assaulted Gergerlioğlu
16:59 HDP Group started a sit in
16:58 First statement of Gergerlioğlu: I don't recognize the decision
16:57 Former AKP MP shouting slogan was removed from the General Assembly
15:27 Gergerlioğlu stripped of his status as member of parliament
15:26 Hearing of Boğaziçi University students starts
15:14 Put on trial for ‘terror propaganda’, journalist fined for ‘insulting President’
13:01 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 111
11:59 From Öcalan to prosecutor: If Öcalan is fine, ensure communication
11:58 Öcalan's attorney: We want to see our client in person
16/03/2021
15:50 Demirtaş slams the court board: Don't sacrifice yourselves for government
14:11 HDP's Öcalan applies to Ministry of Justice: Ease these concerns
12:45 Asrın Law Office submits new application for İmralı upon claims about Öcalan's life
12:38 Melek İpek discloses what she's been through in court
12:22 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 110
12:18 No response to 'urgent communication' application for Imrali
12:17 The key to peace is in Öcalan's letter
10:50 Gergerlioğlu: I will be at the parliament, they can come take me by force
15/03/2021
17:15 Emine Şenyaşar released from custody
17:01 Turkey cuts water of North and East Syria
17:00 Mehmet Öcalan: We are concerned
15:22 Urgent application to visit Öcalan
15:10 Öcalan's lawyers: Allegations are serious, worries must be eased
13:52 Emine Şenyaşar detained by the police
13:51 43 years after Beyazıt massacre: It was bombs yesterday and trustees today
13:48 Witness of clashes in Nusaybin, Journalist Oktay said it was an atrocity
13:47 Şenyaşar family calling support in their search of justice
10:10 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 109
10:06 Witness of 1992 Newroz: I still hear the breaking bones
13/03/2021
12:59 Killers of Tanrıverdi whom Colonel Temizöz said they killed still walks free
10:59 On hunger strike for the fifth time in 26 years
10:42 Newroz with photographs
09:41 Hunger strike action enters day 108
12/03/2021
13:31 Prison administration returns March 8 postcards to senders
13:19 Kars Co-Mayor to remain in prison
13:15 Families ıf İmralı prisoners apply to be granted visit to Imrali
13:10 Police in Van close off street where HDP Provincial building is located
13:03 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 106
11/03/2021
17:04 Women accused of 'jumping' at the March 8 rally were strip searched
17:03 Thousands march in Shengal
12:58 Women detained for participating in March 8 rally accused of 'jumping'
12:57 5 detained during raids on their homes in Malatya and Urfa
12:56 Lawyers of Öcalan submit new application to visit their client
11:08 Women detained last night with raids on their homes to be brought to court