Zirve trial judges lose their post

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Two judges and two prosecutors presiding over the Malatya Zirve publishing house massacre case have been removed from duty two days before one of the most critical hearings in the case on Sept. 3.
In the last hearing, the connection between the Zirve Publishing House Massacre and Ergenekon case was revealed. Gen. Hurşit Tolon, who has been charged as part of the Ergenekon probe, is set to appear before the judge on Sept. 3.

Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News, one of the lawyers in the case, Erdal Doğan, said the dismissal of judges and prosecutors had caused a great surprise and would affect the process in a negative way.

“They were following the case in detail for five years and had important knowledge about it. Their dismissal provokes some thoughts. I have concerns for the proceedings of the case,” Doğan said.

Three missionaries, German citizen Tillman Geske and two Turks, Necati Aydın and Uğur Yüksel, were tied up and tortured before having their throats slit at the Zirve Publishing House in 2007.