Author: Zaman Australia

The blaze, which broke out on Thursday between the cities of Diyarbakır and Mardin, killed 12 people outright and left five fighting for their lives.

Three succumbed to their injuries on Sunday, the Anadolu state news agency said.

Hospital sources confirmed the toll on Monday, saying two people remained in intensive care.

Hundreds of animals also perished in the blaze that roared across the dry landscape.

The government said “stubble burning” was the cause but the Diyarbakır branch of Chambers of Turkish Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) ruled that out and pointed to faulty electric cables as the likely trigger.

“The fire could have been caused by the power cables,” it said in a report released late on Sunday, indicating there was “no stubble” in the area and saying the electric wires in the area were in a state of disrepair.

“The cause of the fire was not stubble. The electricity cables and poles were unmaintained and dangerous,” it said, pointing to the absence of “fire prevention measures around the poles.” The findings came two days after an expert report sent to the local public prosecutor’s office said conductive wire “broke and ignited the grass on the ground and it spread to a wide area due to the effect of strong wind.”

The faulty wiring was on a pole in Köksalan village, in an area where the fields had not yet been harvested, the experts said.

They calculated the blaze had ravaged between 1,650 and 2,000 hectares (4,080 and 4,940 acres) of farmland, forest and residential areas.

A preliminary report by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also included the determination that the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring that spread quickly due to strong winds and not by a stubble burn.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya had on Friday blamed the fire on a “stubble burn,” and the justice ministry said it had opened a probe.

The chamber’s findings came after officials from Dicle Electricity Distribution (DEDAŞ) in southwestern Turkey had filed criminal complaints against eyewitnesses who claimed that the fire was caused by electrical wires.

Meanwhile, Sinan Ateş, who works for digital media platform Onedio, was widely criticized for his graphic post about the fire, which was found by many to be sarcastic and racist.

The post includes a Smurf drawing of a villager in Diyarbakır among the flames with a text reading: “The Olympic[-size] stubble fire, which was started by village Smurfs, is heading towards Mardin.”

“The Onedio website made fun of the fires in Diyarbakır and Mardin, where so many lives were lost. It called it an Olympic fire! … The prosecutor’s office determined that it was not a stubble fire. Isn’t this a provocation, then?” journalist Bahadır Özgür said in a tweet.

The Mardin Labor and Democracy Platform also said on X that they do not accept Onedio’s “racist post.”

The report states that 739 individuals personally claimed to have been subjected to torture, while 42 reported it on behalf of a relative, bringing the total number of applications to the TİHV over the last decade to 7,548, and since its establishment in 1990, to 21,894.

The report also notes that six people died in custody under torture.

Torture in custody and prisons is a systematic problem in Turkey about which local rights groups, parliamentarians and state authorities receive hundreds of complaints every year. Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution that expressed concern about an increase in alleged incidents reported from Turkey in past years.

The report indicates that 81.8 percent of the torture victims (598 individuals) underwent formal detention processes, while 18.8 percent (133 individuals) said they experienced unofficial detentions without formal records. This high rate of unofficial detentions is reportedly linked to police interventions during public demonstrations.

Rights groups also complain about a climate of impunity, with most complaints against alleged incidents leading to no substantial investigation, in some cases despite available CCTV footage.

Among the victims, 240 identified as women (32.8 percent), 428 as men (58.5 percent), and 63 as non-binary. The age range of victims spanned from seven to 77, with nearly half (49.2 percent) aged between 19 and 35. June and July saw a spike in applications due to police interventions during Pride Week events.

The highest number of torture reports came from Istanbul, with 251 applications, followed by İzmir (172), Van (161), Diyarbakır (125), Cizre (40) and Ankara (32). İstanbul’s police department topped the list for locations where detainees reported experiencing torture.

The distribution of torture reports shows a significant concentration in the southeastern and eastern Anatolia regions, home to a large Kurdish population. Kurdish speakers accounted for 67 percent of the reports, a stark contrast to the 23.5 percent of the Turkish population from these regions, highlighting a disproportionate impact on Kurdish individuals.

Eight of the reported torture cases occurred outside Turkey. Since a coup attempt in July 2016 the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has employed extra-legal methods to secure the return of its critics after its official extradition requests have been denied. The government’s campaign has mostly relied on renditions, in which the government and its intelligence agency, MİT, persuade the relevant states to hand over individuals without due process. The victims have been the subjects of a number of human rights violations including arbitrary arrests, house raids, torture and ill-treatment during these operations.

Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler crashed in a brilliant goal in the 65th minute to put Turkey ahead at a Westfalenstadion dominated by tens of thousands of Turkish fans, before Kerem Aktürkoğlu rolled home the third with the last kick of the game as Georgia pushed for a late leveller.

Güler, 19, had a difficult time with injuries in his first season in Madrid but stepped up for Turkey in a fiercely contested match with Georgia, who did not look out of place in their first-ever match at a major international tournament.

“I’m really happy with the win, I hope I can score more goals to help my team,” said Güler.

“I don’t care about personal achievements, I’m only concerned about helping the team win and that we go as far as possible.”

Georgia was dangerous after Georges Mikautadze levelled Mert Müldür’s 25th-minute opener for Turkey just after the half-hour mark, and was denied a second equalizer by the woodwork and a series of saves and blocks.

But Aktürkoğlu made sure Turkey would top the group ahead of Portugal’s opening match with the Czech Republic later on Tuesday.

“It’s a bit early to talk about what was missing, but I will say a bit of talent, a bit of experience,” said Georgia coach Willy Sagnol.

“I’m sure that in the future, this kind of game in the next months and the next years, I’m sure Georgia won’t lose, because Georgia will learn. … I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them.”

Turkey took the cue from their fervent support and went at Georgia from the off, pressuring their inexperienced opposition high up the pitch as a huge din came rolling down from the stands.

Kaan Ayhan and Abdülkerim Bardakçı both went close with headers from corners inside the first 10 minutes before Ayhan crashed a low drive off the inside of the post.

In a breathless opening period, Anzor Mekvabishvili almost gave Georgia a shock lead in the 11th minute when his wildly deflected shot was well saved by Mert Günok.

But Müldür sparked wild celebrations in the stands in the 25th minute with a stunning volley after Ferdi Kadioglu’s cross was cleared to him on the edge of the area.

The roars from Müldür’s goal had barely subsided when Kenan Yıldız poked home what he thought was Turkey’s second, only for the goal to be ruled out for the Juventus attacker’s toes straying offside before he tapped home.

And Mikautadze then stunned what was effectively the home crowd in the 32nd minute by sweeping home Giorgi Kochorashvili’s low cross after brilliant play down the right.

The small but loud Georgian contingent had their heads in their hands shortly afterwards when Mikautadze look certain to put their team ahead but dragged a great opportunity wide.

Turkey again started on the front foot after the break, but Georgia held their own and Mikautadze was in the thick of it again in the 52nd minute when Bardakci blocked his effort after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s burst down the left.

Kvaratskhelia, who was below-par throughout, then poked a good chance wide in the 62nd minute and only moments later Güler took aim from distance and arrowed in an unstoppable shot past the despairing Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Güler’s goal made him the first teenager since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004 to score on his Euros debut, with the pair possibly facing off on Saturday.

Georgia pushed for another equalizer and came desperately close five minutes after Guler’s strike when Kochorashvili skipped past a couple of weak challenges only to see his shot rattle the crossbar.

Kochorashvili and Zuriko Davitashvili were both unfortunate not to level in added time as goalkeeper Mamardashvili pushed forward for one last effort and Aktürkoğlu charged home on the break to seal a hugely entertaining win.

The prosecutor demanded that the charges against Ogün Samast and six other defendants be dropped due to the statute of limitations.

The 52-year-old Dink, editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian bilingual Agos weekly, was shot dead with two bullets to the head outside the newspaper’s headquarters in central İstanbul on January 19, 2007 by Samast, then a 17-year-old jobless high school dropout.

Samast was arrested the following day.

After serving 16 years, 10 months, Samast was released from prison in western Bolu province on November 15, which led to outrage among opposition politicians, journalists, human rights activists and social media users.

Days after Samast’s release, the İstanbul 2nd Juvenile Court accepted an indictment seeking a prison sentence ranging from seven to 12 years for Samast on charges that he “committed crimes on behalf of an armed terrorist organization.”

The juvenile court merged Samast’s case with another ongoing trial at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court, involving 11 suspects, including Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel, for their alleged involvement in the crime Samast is accused of committing.

Samast attended the latest hearing of the trial at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court on Wednesday via the IT Voice and Image System (SEGBİS) from a courthouse in his hometown of Trabzon.

Samast told the court that he agrees with the prosecutor’s opinion and does not want additional time for his defense statement.

The other defendants in the merged trial wanted additional time to counter the opinion of the prosecutor, who sought prison sentences for them on charges of terrorist organization membership and attempting to destroy the constitutional order.

The court adjourned the trial until October 16.

Dink’s family and lawyers say justice will not have been served as long as the masterminds behind the murder and the state officials who allegedly did not prevent the murder, facilitated it or tried to cover it up are not brought before a court.

Samast had confessed to the murder and was sentenced to almost 23 years in prison in 2011.

The İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court in 2021 separated the files of 13 fugitive suspects, including Fethullah Gülen, on the grounds that their defense statements were not delivered, also ruling that Dink’s murder was committed “in line with the objectives of F.TÖ” – a derogatory term used by the Turkish government to refer to the faith-based movement inspired by Gülen as a terrorist organization.

For years, prosecutors have looked into alleged links between the suspects and Gülen, who is accused of masterminding a failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2016, although he strongly denies the charges.

The Turkish government’s ongoing crackdown on the Gülen movement was launched following corruption investigations in late 2013 that implicated then-prime minister and now president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s close circle and intensified in the aftermath of the failed coup on July 15, 2016.

Elçi, the former head of the Diyarbakır Bar Association, was shot in the head during a press conference on November 28, 2015 while calling for peace in front of the historic Four-Legged Minaret. A clash between Turkish police and members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) erupted at the scene, and Elçi was caught in the crossfire.

The Diyarbakır court acquitted police officers Sinan Tabur, Fuat Tan and Mesut Sevgi, who were on trial for “causing death by gross negligence.” The officers attended the trial via video link and pleaded not guilty. The court’s decision followed a 30-minute recess during which tensions in the courtroom rose.

Before the verdict was announced, Diyarbakır Bar Association President Nahit Eren and Tahir Elçi Foundation President Masum Batı left the courtroom in protest, stating they did not expect a fair decision. They were joined by other lawyers who then marched to the scene of Elçi’s death, the Four-Legged Minaret, to continue their protest.

In the lead-up to the trial, the prosecutor’s office had presented an opinion on April 25, stating that “Elçi was killed by a bullet whose origin could not be definitively determined.” They recommended the acquittal of the three police officers and the conviction of fugitive PKK member Uğur Yakışır for “killing two police officers” and “undermining the unity of the state.”

Lawyers for the Elçi family criticized the handling of the case, stating that their requests to uncover the truth were dismissed. They alleged that evidence was mishandled and destroyed. Türkan Elçi, the widow of Tahir Elçi, noted that the bullet that killed her husband was never found and that “key pieces of evidence, including 40 bullet casings, were lost or destroyed.”

Erinç Sağkan, president of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, condemned the trial for violating legal principles. “You claim to uphold universal legal principles, but where do we place the principle of direct confrontation?” Sağkan asked. “We were denied the right to cross-examine the suspects, and many fundamental rights of a fair trial were violated.”

Berfin Elçi, another lawyer for the Elçi family, echoed these sentiments, stating that the conduct of the trial amounted to a denial of justice. “The trial failed to bring the perpetrators to justice and violated the right to a fair trial,” she said.

The trial has garnered significant attention overseas, with 33 international legal organizations, including bar associations from Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, issuing a joint statement. They called for a thorough investigation and a fair trial, noting several procedural flaws, such as a 110-day delay in the crime scene investigation and the initial failure to treat the police officers as suspects.

A forensic report by the London-based Forensic Architecture played a crucial role in the case, concluding that Elçi was likely killed by a bullet fired from one of the police officers’ guns. However, this evidence was reportedly not given due consideration during the trial.

Ali Yıldız, director of the Arrested Lawyers Initiative, criticized the investigation’s design, saying, “With the entire investigation designed to ensure impunity, it is not surprising at all that no one is held accountable for the killing of the president of a prominent bar. The destruction of key evidence in the Council of Forensic Medicine, as reported by journalist Cevheri Güven back in 2019, was to ensure today’s outcome.”

The court’s decision to acquit the police officers has deepened concerns about impunity and the rule of law in Turkey, especially in cases involving state officials and Kurdish activists. The next steps for the Elçi family and their legal team remain uncertain, but they have vowed to continue their fight for justice.