They spoke about the Dilovası workplace homicide case: 'We will follow it to the end'

The 4th hearing of the case, held by the Gebze 7th High Criminal Court at the Kandıra Penal Execution Institution Campus, took place on March 27. While the prosecution maintained its decision for the continued detention of the defendants in the interim ruling, lawyers for the workers' families, Attorney Kerim Bütün and Attorney Didem Bilgin, shared their comments on the trial process with 12punto.

'OUR CLASS'S HISTORY IS FULL OF VICTORIES'

Attorney Kerim Bütün shared which statements caught his attention during the trial process and also commented on the political aspect of the court. Bütün said, "One of the most important statements of the four-day trial process was defendant Ali Osman Akat's declaration that 'I am a big whale.' The Turkish working class has long been continuing its struggle against all bosses who see themselves as 'big whales,' and the history of our working class is full of victories against 'big whales.' As children of the poor people of this country, we will continue to defend the rights of all workers whose labor is exploited, ignored, injured, or massacred in the factories and workplaces of these big whales. Because neutrality is not our style. In the Dilovası worker massacre, we are formally representatives and conscientiously a party. We will follow this case to the end. We will not let anyone forget this massacre."

'BOSSES' GREED FOR PROFIT IS PRIORITIZED'

On the other hand, Bütün explained the environment of insecurity caused by preventable workplace homicides and its impact on the working class, stating, "There is a reality of a class-based society in Turkey and in the world. Workplace homicides are the political domination of the ruthless system of exploitation and the bosses. This system normalizes worker deaths, turning workers into mere statistical data expressed in numbers. It is not human life, but the bosses' greed for profit that is prioritized. The worker massacres that took place in Soma, Gayrettepe, Ermenek, Elbistan, and Hendek are the greatest proofs of this. Workers are constantly being killed while bosses increase their profits. Those who make the laws just offer condolences and cover up the issue. To prevent the repetition of murders like the Dilovası massacre, what we must do is to recognize that the cause of these is not just negligence but has a political foundation, and to support this case and ensure that the defendant bosses receive the punishments they deserve."

'THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR MURDER WITH POSSIBLE INTENT'

Attorney Didem Bilgin stated that not only the bosses but also those who collaborated with them in this crime should be punished. Bilgin said, "During the hearings that continued for 4 days at the Kandıra Prison Campus regarding the Dilovası massacre, the defendants, witnesses, and complainants who were present were heard. It was decided that the detention of the perfume factory owners and other detained defendants would continue due to the current status of the file and suspicions of evidence tampering and flight. Over the four days, from the first day of the hearing, we clearly established how poorly the workers who lost their lives worked, that they were even denied lunch, were not given protective clothing, no occupational safety measures were taken, there was no fire escape, and that public officials who came for inspections left with bribes. In this case, the factory owners should be punished for the crime of murder with possible intent in complicity."

'WE WILL FILE OUR NECESSARY OBJECTIONS'

Meanwhile, Bilgin said, "Although the relatives of the complainants, some of whom are cancer patients, expressed the difficulties they faced in transportation and communication due to the hearings being held in Kandıra, it was decided that the next hearing would also be held in Kandıra. We will file our necessary objections to facilitate the families' follow-up of the case."

'THIS INVITATION IS OURS'

Speaking to 12punto, Attorney Didem Bilgin and Attorney Kerim Bütün invited the public to follow the case. Bilgin used the words, "As Nâzım said, 'Destroy the servitude of man to man, this invitation is ours.' We invite everyone to the hearing on May 20," while Bütün said, "We saw in the Soma case that the file on public officials was covered up on the grounds of the statute of limitations. We will not allow a similar thing to happen in this case. We call on all our people to the 2nd hearing to be held at the Kocaeli Prison Kandıra campus on May 20."

News: Cenk Başboğaoğlu

News Source: 12punto