Prosecutor in case into killing of
Gezi Resistance's youngest victim
Berkin Elvan taken hostage in Istanbul courthouse.
Suspected members of the outlawed far-left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) took prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz hostage at Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse on March 31. Kiraz is the prosecutor in the case into the killing of Gezi victim Berkin Elvan.
A photo was released on social media showing someone pointing a gun at the head of Kiraz against the backdrop of a flag of the illegal organization, which was first shared on Twitter by @aysekosan123, suspected to be affiliated with the DHKP/C. The account was hacked soon after. “This account has been seized. Everything is for the TURKISH people,” the hackers wrote in a tweet.
Various Twitter accounts linked to leftist organizations stated that the DHKP/C claimed responsibility for the hostage-taking incident.
According to a statement carried on halkinsesi.tv, a site that is close to the DHKP-C, the perpetrators gave the authorities until 3:36 p.m. to meet its demands.
The perpetrators’ demands included a live confession by the police officers suspected of killing Elvan, the prosecution of the officers responsible in a “people’s court,” the acquittal of all people being tried for participation in solidarity rallies for Elvan, as well as other requests.
Meanwhile, gunshots were said to have been heard at the building during the hostage-taking process, which took place at 12:36 p.m.
Special teams were dispatched to the scene. It remains unknown how the assailants entered the building with a gun, but police cordoned off the sixth floor of the courthouse where Kiraz’s room is located and evacuated the courthouse.
Istanbul Police Chief Selami Altınok told reporters in front of the courthouse that negotiators were talking with the perpetrators, adding that two people had taken Kiraz hostage.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Orhan Kapıcı said they did not want any negative incident and the state’s institutions were “doing what is necessary” to solve the incident.
Speaking to Hürriyet, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Vedat Yiğit said negotiations between the group and the police “continued via a mediator who the group picked.”
Elvan died on March 11, 2014, 269 days after he was sent into a coma when he was struck by a tear-gas canister during the Gezi protests. Kiraz was appointed as the prosecutor of the controversial case six months ago.
Hüseyin Aygün, a deputy from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said in a series of tweets that he had called Berkin Elvan’s father, Sami Elvan, who demanded the release of the prosecutor.
“My son died, but another person should not die,” he quoted the father as saying.
“I don’t want anyone to even get a nosebleed. Until today, I’ve only demanded justice, and I only want a fair trial,” Sami Elvan also said in a tweet.
Hürriyet correspondent Dinçer Gökçe called the mobile phone number of Kiraz as the hostage situation continued. "The prosecutor is not available right now," a man said on the phone without revealing his identity. He hung up as another person apparently near him shouted "police."
Niyazi Mavi, a lawyer, told CNNTürk that the courthouse "continued working as usual" on the other floors as the hostage crisis unfolds at 2.23 p.m. Less than one hour later, television channels reported that security forces evacuated the building to "prepare to launch an operation to end the crisis."
Meanwhile, the hostage-taking situation led to another gag order, adding to a total of over 150 similar rulings issued in the past four years in Turkey.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office notified the Supreme Council of Radio and Television (RTÜK) of the ban ruling soon after the hostage-taking incident occurred. RTÜK forwarded the decision to Turkish TV stations, which then cut their coverage of the ongoing crisis.
'No link' to massive blackout
At the time when the perpetrators stormed the prosecutor’s room, several Turkish provinces, including Istanbul were suffering from the worst power blackout in 15 years.
Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said it would not be right to link the power outage with the hostage-taking in the courthouse, according to Doğan News Agency.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who had convened related ministers over the blackout, added other ministers to the meeting in order to discuss the extraordinary hostage situation.
Meanwhile, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu tweeted about the incident, questioning whether the power blackout was intentionally made to smuggle the weapons inside the courthouse, while also pointing his finger at the National Intelligence Agency (MİT).
“If this country’s National Intelligence Agency deals with issues that are none of its business, then the offices of the republic’s prosecutors will be busted open with fanfare!” read a part of Kılıçdaroğlu’s tweet.
The Turkish government inaugurated the gigantic Çağlayan Courthouse complex in 2011 as “the largest courthouse in Europe.”
March/31/2015
SourceWhat kind of country do we live in? By the time this happens we don't have any electricity for hours. Only city of Van has electricity because they get it from neighbor country Iran.
**RTÜK banned news about this situation.
**From the latest news everybody is dead.
