AMNE5TY !NTEPNAT!

DNAL
PUBL!0 5TATEMENT
T6 December 20TT
AI Index. EUR 44/0T8/20TT
Turkey: 5upreme 0ourt of AppeaIs overturns historic
verdict in death in custody case
The Supreme CourL of Appeas` unanmous decson Lo overLurn Lhe convcLons of T9 offcas
n reaLon Lo Lhe deaLh n cusLody of Engn eber was fnay pubshed by Lhe Bakrkoy T4Lh
Heavy Pena CourL and communcaLed Lo Engn eber`s famy on 9 December over Lwo monLhs
afLer L was handed down.
Engn eber, who was arresLed afLer Lakng parL n a proLesL agansL a poce shooLng of
anoLher acLvsL, ded n 0cLober 2008 afLer beng beaLen n poce cusLody and n prson.
In June 20T0, Lhe Bakrkoy T4Lh Heavy Pena CourL found four of Lhe offcas guLy of
causng deaLh Lhrough LorLure n a andmark case n Turksh ega hsLory, and senLenced Lhem
Lo fe mprsonmenL.
The Supreme CourL of Appeas` reasonng for overLurnng Lhe |udgmenL s based on Lwo
consderaLons.
FrsLy, an n|ured parLy nLervenng n Lhe Lra, Engn eber`s ssLer`s name dd noL appear n
Lhe pubshed courL verdcL and Lhe daLe of Lhe verdcL was wrongy enLered as 3 June 20T0
nsLead of T June 20T0.
Secondy, some of Lhe accused offcas were represenLed by Lhe same awyer. The Supreme
CourL of Appeas deemed Lhs Lo be n voaLon of Lhe aw on ega represenLaLon whch sLaLes
LhaL 'a awyer cannoL agree Lo represenL Lwo defendanLs whose ega represenLaLon coud puL
each oLher`s defence n |eopardy`. The courL referred Lo ArLce 6 of Lhe European ConvenLon
on Human RghLs on rghL Lo far Lra and argued LhaL Lhs sLuaLon coud have |eopardzed Lhe
defendanLs` rghL Lo defence.
Speakng Lo AmnesLy InLernaLona, Lhe awyer for Lhe eber famy argued LhaL Lhe frsL reason
for overLurnng Lhe verdcL was based on a msLake LhaL coud have been recLfed by Lhe
Appea courL Lsef. As Lo Lhe second reason, Lhe awyer sLaLed LhaL, as Lhe famy`s
represenLaLves, Lhey had apped Lo Lhe courL durng Lhe Lra for a rung on Lhe quesLon of
Lhe defendanLs` ega represenLaLon and LhaL Lher appcaLon was re|ecLed by Lhe courL and
opposed by Lhe represenLaLves of Lhe defendanLs Lhemseves..
The case w now be reLurned Lo Lhe oca courL for a reLra, whch s key Lo be a engLhy
process, proongng Lhe dsLress for Lhe eber famy.
AmnesLy InLernaLona has ong sLandng concerns over mpunLy for LorLure and oLher -
LreaLmenL n Turkey. The organzaLon beeves LhaL effecLve nvesLgaLons nLo aegaLons and
prosecuLon of Lhose responsbe n far Lras are essenLa for Lhe eradcaLon of Lhese knds of
human rghLs voaLons by sLaLe offcas. AmnesLy InLernaLona s cang for Lhe reLra Lo be
conducLed wLhouL unnecessary deay. The Turksh auLhorLes musL ensure LhaL Lhe eber
famy`s rghL Lo a remedy can be reazed.
AmnesLy InLernaLona foowed Lhe case snce Lhe deaLh of Engn eber and w conLnue Lo
monLor L.
For furLher nformaLon, see AmnesLy InLernaLona`s press reease on Lhe nLa |udgmenL
hLLp.//www.amnesLy.org/en/news-and-updaLes/Lurksh-offcas-convcLed-over-acLvsLs-
deaLh-20T0-06-02
End/