MARDİN - Stating that his son was chosen as a 'victim', the father of Şerif Mesutoğlu, who was accused of killing Derik District Governor Muhammed Fatih Safitürk and sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment demanded from Safitürk family to share all the information and the documents they have with the public regarding the killing of the Governor.

 

The Governor and the appointed trustee of Derik district of Mardin province, Muhammed Fatih Safitürk lost his life when home made explosives that had been placed in his office blasted. After the incident police officers launched an operation in the district and detained 71 people, 15 out of which were arrested. Mardin's 3rd Heavy Penal Court gave the rule  for the pending action regarding the incident. The court ruled that 14 defendants shall be acquitted of all charges.  The former chief editor of the district Governor, Şerif Mesutoğlu, was sentenced to two-times aggravated life imprisonment and 28 years of prison on charges of “breaking the unity of the state and the integrity of the country”, “planned willful murder of the person because of their public duty” and “possessing explosives”. Other defendant Fikret Deniz was sentenced to 5 years of prison on charges of "Opposition to the law on firearms and knives and other tools". 

 

The 16th Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals, where the appeal for the file was carried, approved the court's rule in its decision announced on June 11

 

MY SON WAS CHOSEN AS A 'VICTIM'

 

Mesut Çelik (66), father of Şetif Mesutoğlu, said that his son was chosen as a "victim" in the bomb attack against the district Governor Safitürk as he stated that the sentence is unfair and unlawful. Saying that his son had only been working in the Governor's Office for a month as he started to work with the request of the Governor Safitürk, Çelik said, "When my son was leaving the building to transfer the money deposited by the Ministry the explosion occured. So he was also injured in the explosion."

 

Mentioning that even though his son went back to the building of the Governor's Office and helped the first-aid of the Governor, he was battered and affronted by the Chief of the District Police Department.

 

EVIDENCE WAS SPOILED

 

Stating that all the evidence related to the incident was spoiled after the explosion, Father Çelik expressed, “There are a number of security cameras in the surrounding buildings which include district office in their field of vision. Apart from these, there are two panzers waiting in front of the Governor's office and they also have a camera. All these cameras were taken immediately after the explosion, but none of the footages they recorded was examined for 4 years since then."

 

THREATENED WITH DEATH

 

Çelik also reminded that his son was subjected to torture under police custody. "They asked my son to give them a name and they told him if he gives them a name he would be release. My son said that he could not slander anyone and he refused this offer. My son was then told that they would arrest him and kill him in prison," Çelik noted.

 

CALL TO THE SAFİTÜRK FAMILY

 

Stating that his son is innocent and punished unfairly father Çelik said that the killers of District Governor Safitürk are still outside and the killers are the ones who spoiled the evidence. Çelik demanded from Safitürk family to share all the information and the documents with the public regarding the killing of the Governor so that the facts would be revealsed and his son would be exculpated.