In a recent court ruling, police officer Hakan Avcı was fined 21,200 Turkish Lira (790 USD) for causing the death of engineer Cihan Can in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeastern Diyarbakir (Amed) province. The victim’s family called the fine “essentially a reward” and accused the court of suppressing the murder.
The case revolves around the incident that occurred on 27 December 2019, where a police vehicle driven by Avcı struck and killed Can. An expert report dated 28 February 2022 indicated that the accused was 100% at fault for the accident.
“The Forensic Medicine Institute’s report, which found the accused officer 100% at fault, was reiterated by the prosecutor,” said Fuat Coşacak, the family’s lawyer. Despite the family’s plea for a prison sentence, the court opted for a financial penalty.
“The fine is essentially a reward. They have whitewashed the murder,” stated Neytullah Can, the victim’s brother. “We’ll cover the 21,200 TL fine ourselves, just to spare the officer any trouble,” he said in a tone of irony.
Can further expressed his family’s determination to seek justice. “This is not the end for us. We will go as far as it takes, even if it means taking the case to Europe or beyond,” he added.
