The application of Cembeli Erdem, who was shot in the back by the police in Diyarbakır in 2010, was concluded at the Constitutional Court. The court issued 30 thousand TL moral compensation as well as court expenses to be paid to Erdem together with retrial.
Erdem had been shot in the back with a fire opened by the police while commuting back home from work. According to the medical report of the wound, Erdem is “unable to use his lower back due to spinal damage.” The police were sentenced to 1 year and 8 months of imprisonment, whereas the sentence was deferred. After the verdict of deferral, Erdem expressed that his “right to life is being violated” and applied at the Constitutional Court. The police defended that they “opened fire in the air” and claimed innocence. Constitutional Court, on the other hand, decided that no research was made on the bullet that allegedly shot Erdem by “bouncing off.”
In the investigation started on the matter, the Governorate had not granted permission for investigation due to “lack of fault or neglect,” whereas this decision was reversed by Diyarbakır Regional Administrative Court. In the lawsuit filed, Diyarbakır 5th Criminal Court of First Instance had sentenced defendant police officer R.Ç. to 1 year and eight months of imprisonment due to “reckless injury”; deferring the announcement of the verdict. The Constitutional Court decided that the matter was not investigated effectively and issued retrial.
23.05.2018
bianet.org