1 year since the assassination: Prosecutor crisis in the Sinan Ateş murder case

One year has passed since the murder of former Ülkü Ocakları President Sinan Ateş.

22 SUSPECTS ARRESTED

Within the scope of the investigation launched following the murder, 22 suspects were arrested, including the gunman Eray Özyağcı, Doğukan Çep, who is alleged to have organized the murder, 3 police officers, and former Ülkü Ocakları executives such as Tolgahan Demirbaş, Emre Yüksel, and Serdar Öktem.

According to the report by Asuman Aranca from T24; while criticism continues regarding the fact that the indictment has not yet been written despite 1 year having passed since the Sinan Ateş murder, it has emerged that a new one has been added to the "prosecutor" crisis that had previously occurred 3 times in the investigation.

CASE PROSECUTOR TAKES LEAVE WITHOUT WRITING THE INDICTMENT

According to the information obtained, prosecutor Ayhan Ay—who handled the file because he was the duty prosecutor on the day of the murder, was later sidelined in the case, and took over the investigation once again after 2 more changes of prosecutor—took a 2-month medical leave last Wednesday. Due to Prosecutor Ay being on medical leave, the file was transferred to Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmet Altun.

DETAINED LAWYER REQUESTS RELEASE

Meanwhile, another notable development occurred. On the day the file was transferred to Altun via UYAP, lawyer Serdar Öktem, one of the former Ülkü Ocakları executives who has been detained since January 2022, filed a request for release through his lawyer. However, because Altun was also on leave, the prosecutor's opinion regarding Öktem's release request could not be provided. The opinion that Altun, who is expected to return to work on Monday, will provide regarding Öktem's release request is a matter of curiosity.

STRIKING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

It had been alleged that after Altun was appointed as the coordinating deputy for the file last July, he met with MHP member İzzet Ulvi Yönter, and that a Supreme Court membership was offered to Altun in exchange for the release of some suspects, including Öktem. Yönter had denied the allegations. It was claimed that Altun, who allegedly told Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmet Akça that he would request the release of some suspects, argued with Chief Public Prosecutor Akça because he opposed the releases, subsequently went on leave, and wanted to drop the case. Whether Altun, who has taken over the file once again after Prosecutor Ayhan Ay went on a 2-month leave and will handle the investigation alone, will write the indictment before the local elections in March is also a matter of curiosity.

News Source: 12punto