Teacher Ali Ekber Yürek might have justice after 30 years
Teacher Ali Ekber Yürek might have justice after 30 years
The Public Prosecutor ruled the opening of the grave where teacher Ali Ekber Yürek who was tortured to death in Afsin district of Maras in 1981, is buried.
Yürek’s grave in Ovacik district of Dersim will be opened today. Brother Mehmet Yürek accused Maras Martial Commander Yusuf Haznedaroglu to be responsible for his brother’s death.
Prosecutor Mehmet Kuþ decided for the opening of Ali Ekber Yürek’s grave (tortured to death in 1981 after being detained by police and soldiers) after listening to the testimonies of two new witnesses. Among the suspects is Maras Martial Commander Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu. Brother Mehmet Yürek filed a complaint about his brother's death last year, two days before the September 12 referendum on Constitutional amendments. He filed a criminal complaint against Kenan Evren, Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu as well as other accountable in the district at the time of his brother's death.
Malatya Special Attorney General sent the file no 2011/150 to Ankara Special Attorney General as the investigation of the putschers was conducted there. While the document related to Ali Ekber’s death under torture was sent to Afsin Prosecution, the file was given to Prosecutor Mehmet Kus who took the testimonies of the brother and Ali Kepez along with the statement by Akif Keçeli who had been detained at the same time with Ali Ekber. Prosecutor Kuþ decided for the opening of Yürek’s grave to verify claims of bone fractures and torture signs on the body. After 30 years, Ali Ekber Yürek’s grave will be opened on Friday as ordered by the prosecution office and Yürek’s remains will be sent to Forensic Medicine Institute.
‘Tortured to death’
Yürek’s family, came to Dersim following the prosecutor's decision, and said that many torture cases will stand a chance to be reopened if the case of their relative will be fully investigated. Underlining that those responsible for Yürek’s death have not gone to trial and that justice has failed them for 30 years, brother Mehmet Yürek expressed their relief at the opening of the new investigation to hold the responsible accountable for the crime.
“My brother was 24 years old and a teacher here. He went to Maras as a member of Revolutionary People's Union Movement and was caught in a house in Elbistan. He was detained and tortured to death within two weeks. When the body was delivered to us, we were told that he had committed suicide and hung himself with the tightrope of his coat. His coat didn’t have a tightrope. That is the statement of his friends who watched him during the torture”.
‘My brother’s torturer is Martial Commander Yusuf Haznedaroglu’
Noting that Ali Ekber was questioned and tortured by the Maras Martial Commander Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu himself, Yürek’s brother said the followings; "Haznedaroðlu personally joined the interrogation for 2.5 weeks. In the final session, he put my brother’s head into a barrel of cold water. My brother is said to have lost his life during this session. When the body was delivered to us, his lips and teeth were almost destroyed with electric burns. His toes and sexual organ were also burnt and his arms and ribs were blackened. His friends under detention were threatened with the same end in case of speaking anything about the happenings. We lost our brother under torture. This is the first time I am visiting his grave for 30 years. I still can’t look at his pictures. We can’t accept his death. We are witnessing times when the putschers, from Chili to Greece, are put on trial. I demand the same in this country too and promise to give a fight for that”.
85-year-old mother Fecire Yürek also asked for the detection of her son’s tortures.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
Yürek’s grave in Ovacik district of Dersim will be opened today. Brother Mehmet Yürek accused Maras Martial Commander Yusuf Haznedaroglu to be responsible for his brother’s death.
Prosecutor Mehmet Kuþ decided for the opening of Ali Ekber Yürek’s grave (tortured to death in 1981 after being detained by police and soldiers) after listening to the testimonies of two new witnesses. Among the suspects is Maras Martial Commander Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu. Brother Mehmet Yürek filed a complaint about his brother's death last year, two days before the September 12 referendum on Constitutional amendments. He filed a criminal complaint against Kenan Evren, Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu as well as other accountable in the district at the time of his brother's death.
Malatya Special Attorney General sent the file no 2011/150 to Ankara Special Attorney General as the investigation of the putschers was conducted there. While the document related to Ali Ekber’s death under torture was sent to Afsin Prosecution, the file was given to Prosecutor Mehmet Kus who took the testimonies of the brother and Ali Kepez along with the statement by Akif Keçeli who had been detained at the same time with Ali Ekber. Prosecutor Kuþ decided for the opening of Yürek’s grave to verify claims of bone fractures and torture signs on the body. After 30 years, Ali Ekber Yürek’s grave will be opened on Friday as ordered by the prosecution office and Yürek’s remains will be sent to Forensic Medicine Institute.
‘Tortured to death’
Yürek’s family, came to Dersim following the prosecutor's decision, and said that many torture cases will stand a chance to be reopened if the case of their relative will be fully investigated. Underlining that those responsible for Yürek’s death have not gone to trial and that justice has failed them for 30 years, brother Mehmet Yürek expressed their relief at the opening of the new investigation to hold the responsible accountable for the crime.
“My brother was 24 years old and a teacher here. He went to Maras as a member of Revolutionary People's Union Movement and was caught in a house in Elbistan. He was detained and tortured to death within two weeks. When the body was delivered to us, we were told that he had committed suicide and hung himself with the tightrope of his coat. His coat didn’t have a tightrope. That is the statement of his friends who watched him during the torture”.
‘My brother’s torturer is Martial Commander Yusuf Haznedaroglu’
Noting that Ali Ekber was questioned and tortured by the Maras Martial Commander Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu himself, Yürek’s brother said the followings; "Haznedaroðlu personally joined the interrogation for 2.5 weeks. In the final session, he put my brother’s head into a barrel of cold water. My brother is said to have lost his life during this session. When the body was delivered to us, his lips and teeth were almost destroyed with electric burns. His toes and sexual organ were also burnt and his arms and ribs were blackened. His friends under detention were threatened with the same end in case of speaking anything about the happenings. We lost our brother under torture. This is the first time I am visiting his grave for 30 years. I still can’t look at his pictures. We can’t accept his death. We are witnessing times when the putschers, from Chili to Greece, are put on trial. I demand the same in this country too and promise to give a fight for that”.
85-year-old mother Fecire Yürek also asked for the detection of her son’s tortures.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
