Umut Case postponed again

At the hearing held at the Ankara 5th High Criminal Court, the victim's daughter, Özge Mumcu Aybars, and her lawyer were present. After the presiding judge read the documents received in the case file, the floor was given to the lawyer for the Mumcu family.

The lawyer mentioned the existence of a vehicle registered in the name of the defendant Demir and requested that an investigation be conducted regarding this vehicle. Furthermore, it was stated that there is information suggesting Demir and his family are in Australia, and his extradition was requested.

Following the statement, the presiding judge announced the interim decision. Accordingly, it was decided to send a formal inquiry to the General Directorate of Security regarding the nature of the transactions the vehicle registered in Demir's name has undergone in traffic since its initial registration date. Additionally, noting the possibility that the defendant may be in Australia, it was ruled that a formal request be sent to the Ministry of Justice to initiate the necessary procedures for his extradition. It was also decided to send inquiries to the relevant authorities to investigate whether Demir's family has entered Turkey.

The next hearing has been postponed to July 14.

Speaking to the press in front of the Ankara Courthouse after the hearing, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın stated, "33 years have passed since the murder of Uğur brother. We are facing a case that has still not been fully clarified after 33 years. Today was the 14th hearing of the case separated for Oğuz Demir. Everyone knows that the Tevhid-Selam Organization was involved in 21 killings, injuries, and bombings in this country between 1988 and 1999. We also know that they established an arsenal in the middle of Ankara. We also know that they operated in conjunction with foreign intelligence agencies. The person mentioned, namely Oğuz Demir, escaped from the hands of law enforcement in 2000. He later took his wife and children abroad. The car registered in his name is still circulating in Ankara. Dear Güldal Mumcu met with the Deputy Minister of Interior and was informed by intelligence that the person was in Iran. However, despite questions asked to the gendarmerie, MIT, and the police, this information has not entered the court records. Now, there is information in the court records that his wife and children have been entering and exiting Turkey from Australia. In that case, perhaps Oğuz Demir is in Australia. We have bilateral agreements between us. We are talking about a criminal sought with a Red Notice. Why has this person not been caught to this day? Are there some who do not want to pull that brick? The point this matter has reached over 33 years, with the writs and documents written by the court, is clear. We see a lack of political will here. Uğur Mumcu was a journalist and intellectual who pursued all events with his courageous pen so that nothing would remain in the dark in Turkey. Sooner or later, we will definitely uncover all his perpetrators and we will definitely pull that brick out. Let the wall collapse on whoever it needs to collapse on. As long as Turkey is enlightened. Let there be no unsolved murders left in Turkey. Let Turkey not continue as a country where the perpetrators of known crimes cannot be caught. We are striving for this."

HISTORY OF THE CASE

The first trial regarding the "Umut Case," which covers many events including the murders of Ahmet Taner Kışlalı, Uğur Mumcu, Bahriye Üçok, and Muammer Aksoy, was held at the State Security Court. Following the closure of the State Security Courts, the trial continued at the Ankara 11th High Criminal Court.

In the retrial after the first-instance court's decision was overturned by the Court of Cassation, 3 defendants were sentenced to prison for various terms for "establishing and managing the illegal Tevhid-Selam and Jerusalem Army organization," and 5 defendants were sentenced for membership in the same organization. In this context, defendants Mehmet Ali Tekin, Hasan Kılıç, and Ekrem Baytap were each sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison for "establishing and managing an armed criminal organization." Defendants Abdulhamit Çelik, Fatih Aydın, Yusuf Karakuş, Mehmet Şahin, and Recep Aydın were each given 6 years and 3 months in prison for "being a member of an armed criminal organization." The file of one of the fugitive defendants, Oğuz Demir, was separated, and his trial continues at the Ankara 5th High Criminal Court.

News Source: İHA