The Ankara 32nd High Criminal Court has announced its verdict in the case concerning the 2022 murder of former Ülkü Ocakları president Sinan Ateş. The shooter, Eray Özyağcı, along with the instigators Doğukan Çep and Tolgahan Demirbaş, as well as Vedat Balkaya, who helped Özyağcı escape on a motorcycle, were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for "premeditated murder." Additionally, Özyağcı and Balkaya were sentenced to 13 years in prison for "attempted murder" of complainant Selman Bozkurt. Suat Kurt, who was in custody for conducting surveillance outside the office, received a similar sentence of aggravated life imprisonment, along with an additional 13 years in prison for the same charges.Other defendants, Mustafa Uzunlar and Aşkın Mert Gelenbey were sentenced to 15 years each for "premeditated murder," while Murat Can Çolak and Emre Yüksel received 18 years each for the same crime.[2] During the hearing, an unusual incident occurred. A relative of one of the defendants attacked. Sinan Ateş's sister and their mother, Saniye Ateş, were rushed to the hospital after feeling unwell. The attacker was detained by police, while Sinan Ateş's sister, Selma Ateş Kazanç, declared, "If anything happens to me, MHP is responsible." Sinan Ateş's wife, Ayşe Ateş, had made a similar statement in the past.This case has become emblematic of the erosion of the rule of law and the judicial system in Turkey in many ways. Numerous politically connected facts were either ignored or covered up. For instance, despite the presence of concrete evidence, many key details were omitted from the accepted indictment. These include the insufficient evaluation of expert reports, the failure to explain the motives of Demirbaş and Çep for inciting the murder, the lack of clarity on the reasons behind the murder, and the incomplete examination of evidence. Additionally, Tolgahan Demirbaş's arrest at the home of former MHP deputy Olcay Kılavuz was left out of the indictment, and his potential political connections were not investigated. Furthermore, the testimony of Sinan Ateş's wife, Ayşe Ateş, was not included in the indictment.[3]From the outset, the MHP has maintained an aggressive stance, asserting that neither the party nor its members bear any responsibility for the murder, and MHP lawyers even requested to join the trial as injured parties. Throughout the trial, MHP leader Bahçeli targeted journalists who questioned the party’s connection to the case, stating, "We won't let owls hoot at our door, nor will we tolerate the vultures flapping their wings. I’m warning Halk TV and the Republican People's Party: watch your step. You cannot question the MHP with four clown reporters, and we will not allow it."The manner in which this case has been handled, from the repeated replacement of judges and prosecutors to the omissions in the indictment and the final verdict, shows that the assassination of Sinan Ateş has been treated as an ordinary criminal case. Many pieces of evidence that have been openly discussed in the public sphere were overlooked to protect individuals and groups who are considered untouchable. Despite not being an unsolved case, the failure to uncover the motives behind the assassination has deeply wounded the public conscience and will be remembered for years as a symbol of injustice. As Ayşe Ateş stated after the verdict, "In this trial, only the foot soldiers were judged. The masterminds of the murder are still walking free." This situation not only undermines trust in the justice system but also highlights the erosion of the rule of law and the failure to meet society's demand for justice.<a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" target="_blank" title="" fr-original-style="" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"></a><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" target="_blank" title="" fr-original-style="" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"></a>

The Freedom Observer

As Ayşe Ateş stated after the verdict, "In this trial, only the foot soldiers were judged. The masterminds of the murder are still walking free." This situation not only undermines trust in the justice system but also highlights the erosion of the rule of law and the failure to meet society's demand for justice.

Doğukan Çep ile ilgili hikayeler