Sinan Ateş's family reacts sharply in court! 'Did you get paid to murder him?'

Müyesser YILDIZ 12punto.com.tr

The trial of 8 defendants, whose files were separated from the main investigation into the murder of former Ülkü Ocakları President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sinan Ateş, has begun.

In the first session of the case held at the Ankara 34th Criminal Court of First Instance, only three of the defendants—Ülkü Ocakları Deputy Chairman Burak Kılıç, Ankara Provincial Deputy Chairman Suat Yılmazzobu, and dismissed commissioner Talha Atalay—were present.

Sinan Ateş's mother, Saniye Ateş, and his sisters, Selma Ateş and Sevda Ateş, also attended the hearing.

The first to present his defense, Ülkü Ocakları Deputy Chairman Burak Kılıç, stated that he did not remember why he sent a photo of the residential complex where Sinan Ateş lived to Tolgahan Demirbaş, but claimed that Demirbaş had not requested it.

After Kılıç claimed he learned from the prosecutor that the complex belonged to the victim and argued that it was a crowded place where many people lived, he suggested he might have sent the photo thinking a banner would be hung there. The Judge and the Prosecutor then asked if these were contradictions.

Kılıç stated that a lot of time had passed, he did not remember, and he was reasoning based on the conditions of that day.

The Ateş family's lawyer, Şeyda Şahin, said that Burak Kılıç is a person who should be tried in the main case, not in this one.

Attorney Şahin asked what he understood by the "SA" mentioned in his correspondence with Tolgahan Demirbaş. Burak Kılıç said, "I might have understood something else by 'SA' in April 2022. The victim was not yet a victim. I do not see a need to answer as it is unrelated to this file."

Ankara Provincial Deputy Chairman Suat Yılmazzobu, who is accused of sending information regarding Sinan Ateş's wife, Ayşe Ateş, stated that he did not remember sending messages to Demirbaş or their contents.

The Judge reminded him that in his statement to the prosecutor's office, he said the person he mentioned "I will shoot him in the head" was Muhammed, and asked for Muhammed's surname.

When Yılmazzobu replied that he did not remember again, the Judge said, "Someone is going to be shot in the head, but you don't remember."

Ateş's mother, Saniye Ateş, stated that all the defendants were part of Olcay Kılavuz's crew and reacted by saying, "Did you get paid separately to murder my son and separately to lie?"

When Selma Ateş claimed that the place called Ülkü Ocakları was a "criminal organization," the defense lawyers reacted.

Accusing MHP members Ulvi İzzet Yönter, Semih Yalçın, Olcay Kılavuz, and Ahmet Yiğit Yıldırım, Selma Ateş said, "We are not monsters like you, we are human."

Selma Ateş also added Ömer Şanlı to this list of names and demanded that they be held accountable if anything happens to them.

The prosecutor submitted an opinion for the continuation of the defendants' judicial control measures and for Tolgahan Demirbaş to be heard as a witness.

After the break, the Judge announced the decisions, ruling for the acceptance of the Ateş family's request to join the case and the continuation of the defendants' judicial control measures.

The hearing of Tolgahan Demirbaş as a witness will be evaluated after the decision on merging with the other file.

The hearing was adjourned to July 1.

News Source: 12punto