Seven people, including four women, were killed in a racist attack on a Kurdish family in Konya. Speaking about the racist attack, Özüm Vurgun, Co-chair of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Amed Office, drew attention to the fact that the massacre took place because the law enforcement officer hadn’t done their duty. “An investigation should be launched against law enforcement and judicial officials,” she told us.

MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed- Seven members of the Dedeoğulları family were killed in a racist attack in the Meram district of Konya province on July 30. The perpetrator Mehmet Altun was arrested last night after six days. Before the massacre took place, the family demanded protection after being attacked by a group of 60 people but their demand was rejected.

14 suspects were detained for “murder in the first degree” and 10 of them were then sent to prison and four of them were released under judicial control by the Court of Peace on Duty. The perpetrator Mehmet Altun was reportedly arrested last night. Speaking about the racist attack, Özüm Vurgun, Co-chair of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Amed Office, stated that the judiciary and law enforcement officers responsible for this massacre should resign and an investigation should be launched against them.

“Attacks were supported by the judiciary”

Özüm Vurgun said that the attacks on Kurdish citizens in provinces such as Konya, Afyon, and Ankara took place due to the government’s incendiary use of language. She pointed out that the attacks carried out in three provinces were also supported by the judiciary. Emphasizing that the massacre in Konya took place due to the judiciary’s policy of impunity.

“The policy of impunity strengthened the perpetrators”

Before the massacre took place in Konya, a group of 60 people attacked the Dedeoğulları family. The attackers were detained but then released and a protection order was issued for them. “Right after the massacre against the Dedeoğulları family, the pro-government media outlets reported the incident as a long-running feud between two families and these reports reveal the plan of the AKP-MHP coalition. In fact, the perpetrators, who were granted the protection order, became stronger and organized a planned massacre under the influence of the policy of impunity. The policy of impunity strengthened the perpetrators,” Özüm Vurgun told NuJINHA.

“An investigation should be launched against those responsible”

Özüm Vurgun also talked about how the protection order issued by the judiciary for the family was again ineffective by law enforcement. “The massacre took place because of organized negligence. The judiciary and its law enforcement officers didn’t fulfill their duties. The pro-government media outlets have tried to show the incident as a long-running feud between two families. These attacks on Kurds are the picture of organized racism. The law enforcement officers, prosecutors, the governor's office, and the interior ministry are responsible for these attacks. They should resign and an investigation should be launched against them.”