ANKARA - Stating that the decision in the Dedeoğulları Massacre Case "penetrated the veins of the society", İHD Supervisory Board Member İsmail Boyraz said: "The hate speeches of the government and its partners pave the way for similar massacres."

 

7 members of the Dedeoğluları family, who were subjected to racist attacks by the Keleş and Çalık families on May 12, 2021, in the Meram district of Konya, were murdered by gunman Mehmet Altun on July 30, 2021, as the necessary protection measures were not taken after the attack. At the hearing of the case held at the Konya 4th High Criminal Court on November 17, Altun was sentenced to 7 times aggravated life imprisonment, 4 years for "damaging property by burning", 4 years for "violating the immunity of residence in a qualified manner" and 2 years in prison for the crime of "violating the Law on Firearms, Knives and Other Tools".

 

However, Yahya Çalık, İbrahim Keleş, Ramazan Çalık, Ali Çalık, Lütfi Keleş, Ali Keleş (Lütfi Keleş's son), Veli Keleş, Ali Keleş (Veli Keleş's son), Ayşe Keleş and Ali Keleş(Harun Keleş's son), who were tried as the instigators of the massacre, were acquitted.

 

Despite all the evidence that Tetikçi Altun held with the Çalık and Keleş families before the massacre and all the evidence that the crime of instigation was fixed, the reactions to the acquittal decisions of the instigators continue.

 

Human Rights Association (İHD) Supervisory Board Member and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) Central Anatolia Coordinator of the Project for the Protection and Support of Human Rights Defenders İsmail Boyraz pointed out that the decision in the Dedeoğulları Massacre Case is a reflection of the discriminatory policies of the government, and called for the massacre to be clarified.

 

GUNMAN: WE KILLED, NOT ME

 

Reminding the gunman Altun's words "We killed Dedeoğlu family, not me", Boyraz said: "Even this statement is an indication that there are different forces behind the massacre. The court could have passed a decision to establish peace in Turkey, but the acquittal of the instigators is a reward. Decisions like these, unfortunately, are decisions that invite similar massacres.”

 

THE HATE SPEECH OF THE GOVERNMENT

 

Emphasizing the relationship between the decisions revealed in the courtrooms and the policies of the government, Boyraz said: "The discriminatory policies of the government became concrete again with the decision rendered in the Dedeoğulları Massacre Case. This understanding "permeates the veins of the society. The hate speech of the government and its partners somehow comes to life and paves the way for similar massacres."