43 defendants to face trial: Santa Maria Church case begins

The trial regarding the armed attack on the Santa Maria Italian Church in Sarıyer, Istanbul, on January 28, 2024, is beginning. The first hearing of the case, which involves 43 defendants, 32 of whom are in custody, will be held by the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court at the Marmara Penal Execution Institution. 

According to the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, there are 3 victims, and 11 people, including the church's priest Anton Bulai, are listed as 'complainants'.

The indictment requests that the detained suspects who carried out the attack, David Tanduev and Amirjon Kholiqov, as well as Viskhan Soltamatıov, who was arrested on allegations of being one of the planners and later added to the indictment, and Edelkhan Inazhaev and his wife Zharaidat Esmurzieva, who were determined to be connected to these suspects, be sentenced to two aggravated life sentences each and between 218 years and 7 months to 349 years and 6 months in prison for the crimes of "attempting to abolish the constitutional order," "membership in the armed terrorist organization ISIS," "premeditated murder" of Tuncer Cihan, "attempted premeditated murder" of 11 people, and "possession of firearms and ammunition." Suspect Inazhaev also faces a request for 3 to 7.6 years in prison for the crime of "forgery of official documents."

For the other 20 suspects, two aggravated life sentences each and between 217 years and 1 month to 345 years in prison were requested for similar crimes.

For 18 of the suspects, prison sentences of 7.5 to 15 years each are requested solely for the crime of "membership in the armed terrorist organization ISIS."