MLSA - The lawyers of journalist Sinan Aygül, who was seriously injured in an attack by the bodyguard and relatives of Tatvan Mayor Emin Geylani, have filed an appeal against the suspended prison sentence given to the attackers.
On June 17, 2023, Sinan Aygül, President of the Bitlis Journalists Association, was severely injured in an attack by Engin Kaplan, a police bodyguard of Tatvan Mayor Emin Geylani, and his nephew, Yücel Baysal. A delegation composed of Aygül's lawyers and representatives from the Bitlis and Van Bar Associations appealed the verdict given on January 25 in the assault case.
The delegation, including lawyers and heads of regional bar associations, filed an appeal with the Tatvan High Criminal Court, requesting the annulment of the deferred sentence given by the Tatvan 2nd Magistrate Criminal Court and a thorough examination of the legally flawed court decision.
While going to the Tatvan High Criminal Court for the appeal, Aygül's lawyers were accompanied by Gülhan Bayram Sekmen, President of the Bitlis Bar Association, Sinan Özaraz, President of the Van Bar Association, Emin Acar, Secretary-General of the Bitlis Bar Association, Necdet Ceyhan, Manager of the Van Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), and Jiyan Özkaplan from the Human Rights Defenders Solidarity Network.
The appeal against the suspended sentence given by the Tatvan 2nd Magistrate Criminal Court will be evaluated by the Tatvan High Criminal Court.
Eker: "Justice was not served"
Sinan Aygül's lawyer, İsmet Eker, emphasized the severity of the decision, stating that they completely opposed it as it undermines the sense of justice.
Eker said, "Apart from the legal aspects of the incident, the social perception it has created is also significant. The event resulted in an attempt on the life of my client, who acts with a social purpose, by the authorities responsible for the internal security of the state. However, the given decision is not a punishment. While it's debatable whether a deferred sentence (HAGB) is a punishment, it cannot be applied in such a grave case of caught-in-the-act crime. We have thoroughly objected to the decision both procedurally and substantively, but we completely oppose it as the 'justice' necessary to eliminate the 'vengeance' feeling among the public and perhaps to alleviate it was not delivered by the local court."
Orak: "Decision is scandalous"
Lawyer Diyar Orak, stating that the decision could not pass any judicial scrutiny in its current form, stressed that it was scandalous in every aspect.
Orak said, "Our primary demand was for this case to be opened as an attempted murder with a firearm, not as an injury case, and to be seen in the High Criminal Court. Unfortunately, this request was rejected without justification. Moreover, everything necessary was done for the case to end in impunity, almost as if no punishment was given. We wrote a 12-page appeal petition, describing the incident, the legal process, and the decision in detail. The entire process and decision are scandalous in every aspect. This decision cannot pass any legal scrutiny in its current state. We hope that our requests will be accepted and this unjust decision will be annulled."
Background:
Sinan Aygül was attacked on June 17, 2023, by Engin Kaplan, a police officer and bodyguard of Tatvan Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani, and Yücel Baysal, a municipal employee and also a relative of the mayor.
Following the incident, the attackers were suspended and arrested. However, they were released at the first hearing on September 15.
The perpetrators were also sentenced to 2 months and 5 days in prison and a restraining order under the Law on the Prevention of Violence Against Women, based on allegations of insulting Aygül.
At the final hearing on January 25, the attackers were given a 1 year, 5 months, and 15 days prison sentence for "Intentional Injury with a Firearm," followed by a decision to Defer the Announcement of the Verdict (HAGB).
