Court finds charges against police over killing of Uğur Kurt insufficient, sends indictment to higher body

ISTANBUL

DHA Photo

An Istanbul court has sent an indictment prepared on the killing of a civilian by a police officer during a crackdown on protests to a higher court, finding the charges of involuntary manslaughter “insufficient.”

The victim, Uğur Kurt, was hit by a stray bullet fired by a police officer as he was attending a funeral service at a Cemevi, an Alevi house of worship, in the restive Okmeydanı neighborhood on May 22.

The 85th Penal Court of First Instance in Istanbul issued the lack of jurisdiction decision after examining the indictment, in which prosecutor demanded up to six years in jail for the police officer on charges of involuntary manslaughter.

The court accepted the indictment, but sent it on to a heavy penalty court, saying the officer should be put on trial on charges of a possible first degree murder, which carries a sentence of 20 to 25 years in jail.

Following lack of jurisdiction rulings, the complainant or the defendant should apply to a heavy penalty court for the official transfer of the case.

The prosecutor in the case, Hasan Yılmaz, argued that the police officer, identified only as S.K., was guilty of reckless negligence by disobeying his supervisors and firing his weapon.

In his defense, S.K. said he had not received training for firearms but only for gas canister rifles, also adding that he did not have much experience in such interventions.