A key witness was compelled to provide false testimony in the case against the Kurdish co-Mayor of Hakkari (Colemêrg) Mehmet Sıddık Akış, journalist Sinan Aygül reported on Tuesday, casting further doubt on the integrity of the legal proceedings that led to Akış’s arrest and the subsequent appointment of a trustee in his place.
Delil ihdas eden bir mahkeme, zehirli ağaç, meyvesi, duruşma öncesi gözaltına alınması verilen kararın belli olduğunu gösteriyorsa ihsası rey… falan gibi şeyler tartışılır bir hukuk devletinde.
Hukuk devletinde tabi.
Hukuk hikayesi olan devletlerde değil.
— Sinan Aygül (@sinanaygul) June 4, 2024
The witness, known only by the pseudonym “Oyun Bozan” (Killjoy), described years of being pressurised by the police to sign statements making accusations against people he had never met. “I was forced by the police to lie, statements were taken under duress,” he said in an interview with the journalist, shedding light on a potentially compromised justice process in a case that has significant implications for Kurdish political representation in Turkey.
Aygül’s report not only highlights the abuse of the witness and misuse of the witness process, but also illustrates the broader issues of legal malpractice. “Oyun Bozan” who has been produced as a witness in several trials against the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) within the jurisdiction of Van (Wan) Special Authority State Prosecution, recounted his ordeal in detail. He also revealed that following his decision to recant his testimony, he was again arrested, along with three of his family members.
