BosNewsLife, Hungary –
Jan 14 2008
NEWS ALERT: Turkish Court Hears Suspected Killers Of Christian
Publishers
Trial Comes After Turkey Releases Teenager Planning "Massacre"
Monday, 14 January 2008
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife
ISTANBUL, TURKEY (BosNewsLife)– Amid tight security, seven people
appeared again in court in the south-eastern Turkish town of Malatya
Monday, January 14, to answer charges of involvement in torturing and
killing one German and two Turkish Christians last year, a case that
added to international concerns over violent incidents against the
Christian minority in this predominantly Muslim nation.
The German man, 46-year-old interpreter Tilman Ekkehart Geske, had
been living in Malatya since 2003. Two other Turkish Christians,
Necati Aydin, 35, and Ugur Yuksel,32, – were also found tied up and
their throats slit in the offices of the small Zirve Christian
publishing house in Malatya on April 18, 2007. Lawyers for the
suspects had asked more time to prepare themselves ahead of what was
the second day of the trial.
Prosecutors have said the suspects appeared to have been motivated by
nationalist and religious reasons. The state prosecutor’s office has
demanded life sentences for the five main suspects. However there has
been international and domestic criticism about the way the trial was
handled. Turkish media reported for weeks on alleged "numerous
inconsistencies" in the investigations by authorities into the case,
raising doubts among human rights watchers and church officials about
Turkey’s willingness to tackle persecution of Christians.
Spokesman Glenn Penner of Christian advocacy group Voice Of the
Martyrs Canada warned that "If the killers are allowed to simply get
away with lesser charges, or it’s seen that these murders were
somehow justified on the basis that these Christians were involved in
missionary activity, then Turkish Christians are certainly going to
feel that they’re not equal members of society. [They will feel] that
their religious activities are going to continue to be under threat."
TEENAGER RELEASED
Monday’s trial resumed just days after another Turkish court, citing
age reasons, released a Turkish teenager who vowed to kill the pastor
of a Protestant church and `massacre’ Christians in the Black Sea
coastal city of Samsun. The 17-year-old Semih Seymen was briefly
detained after he called Pastor Orhan Picaklar of the Samsun Agape
Church several times since late December, threatening to kill him,
BosNewsLife established.
Pastor Picaklar told BosNewsLife this was no isolated incident. "Our
church has been stoned number of times between since 2000," he said.
"In 2004, a local mayor strongly objected to our church, saying he
would not permit a Christian Church in his area. In 2005, I was
abducted by unidentified ultra nationalist youth from my apartment
flat after midnight. They threatened me with death if I continue to
work as pastor. After I was released the following morning, I
reported the incident to a local police chief. However he demanded
that an investigation could only take place if I provided the
evidence."
In 2006, militants also "tried to kidnap my son on the way to
school," the pastor added. And, last year, he apparently received
"several e-mails from ultranationalist underground elements
calling themselves Brigade of Revenge, threatening to kill me."
Pastor Picaklar claimed he was "targeted by Islamic militants" for
allegedly "insulting Muslim prophet Mohammed" which he stressed "is
totally untrue." He said authorities so far refused to investigate
these cases.
CHRISTIANS "DEFENSELESS"
"Defenseless and innocent Christians are being killed cowardly an
viciously by murderous and blood thirsty [Muslim] militants," he
said, a clear reference to the April killings of a German and two
Turkish Christians. Earlier, a nationalist killed Armenian Christian
editor Hrant Dink. In February 2006, a Turkish teenager shot a
Catholic priest dead as he prayed in his church, and two other
Catholic priests were attacked later that year.
"Those killers have been praised by some Turkish musicians in music
and songs as if they are national heroes," complained Pastor
Picaklar. In addition, he said, "Christian brothers and
sister are being continuously harassed by civilian police officers
who also visit their parents, friends, neighbors and business
associates."
The relatives of Christians are "being told that their child or
friend has become an infidel and should be isolated from the
community…" He said the "psychological pressure" had some impact as
"many believers break with the church."
The European Union, which Turkey wants to join, has said the
government should do more to protect Christians, who comprise less
than one percent of the 70-million population. (With BosNewsife
Research and BosNewsLife News Center).