Armenian soldier case postponed

DİYARBAKIR - Doğan News Agency

A military court in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır ruled yesterday to take the testimonies of 19 village guards who allegedly witnessed the murder of a Turkish soldier of Armenian origin under dubious circumstances while performing his military service in 2011.

In the fifth hearing of the Sevag Şahin Balıkçı case, a lieutenant commander and a forensic science expert were appointed as experts, while village guards were notified to be questioned at the next hearing. The military judge overseeing the case is reported to have said that it is his honor to make sure the case is completed in the fairest way.

Meanwhile İsmail Cem Halavurt, Balıkçı’s lawyer, told the Hürriyet Daily News that he has also demanded the camera records of the incident.

Balıkçı was shot in a gendarmerie station of Batman province by another soldier, Kıvanç Ağaoğlu, who was also performing his military service. The incident took place Apr. 24, 2011, the same date regarded as the anniversary of the events of 1915. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for Apr. 6.