Malatya murder trial defendants exploit Turkish government ‘witch-hunt’

Malatya murder trial defendants exploit Turkish government ‘witch-hunt’
Suspects accused of helping to orchestrate the brutal murders of three Christians in southeast Turkey in 2007 are now blaming the crime on the Hizmet movement, an influential Islamic group accused of treason by the ruling Turkish government. Testimony from two former military officers and an Islamic university researcher dominated . . . Read More

Malatya murders fault of Turkish ultranationalists

Defendants at the 95th hearing over the murder of three Christians in Malatya, eastern Turkey told the Malatya High Criminal Court on 18 Aug. that a “parallel structure”, an ultranationalist cabal of retired generals, politicians, journalists and mafia members were responsible for the deaths. Prosecution lawyer Erdal Dogan said the . . . Read More

Malatya murder trial postponed again

Malatya murder trial postponed again
Seven years after three Christians were tortured and killed in southeast Turkey, the Malatya trial’s 93rd hearing has been postponed for another 10 weeks, until June 23. Under judicial changes enacted last month, the murder trial set to resume on April 10 has been transferred to Malatya’s First High Criminal . . . Read More

Sara got married

Sara got married
On March 8, International Women’s Day, many of the people in southeastern Turkey only want to discuss one thing. She is Sara, an 18-year-old Assyrian/Syriac woman, who was allegedly kidnapped by sympathizers of Huda-Part, Allah’s party, the Kurdish equivalent to Hezbollah. Others say she merely followed her heart and converted . . . Read More

Malatya murder suspects out of jail

As expected, the five men suspected of killing three Christians in Malatya, Turkey, nearly seven years ago have been released from jail as their trial continues. The Malatya First High Criminal Court released the suspects March 8 in response to a new law, which took effect last week, that reduces . . . Read More

Malatya murder suspects to be set free

Malatya murder suspects to be set free
A 2008 snapshot of the five Malayta murder suspects.World Watch Monitor   Five Turkish murder suspects on trial for torturing and killing three Christians in Malatya nearly seven years ago are expected to be set free on bail within the next few days, before the conclusion of their trial in . . . Read More