Image: The three Christian martyrs, converts Ugur Yuksel and Necati Aydin together with German citizen Tilman Geske.
It looks like it would be almost 12 years before a final verdict was reached in the criminal case against those responsible for the murders of the "Three Christians of Malatya" in Turkey in April 2007. On January 23, the Turkish Supreme Court (the 16th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation) upheld the verdict against the five perpetrators in the murder case. A demand by the Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey (TeK) to investigate the wider network of organizations allegedly behind the murders was rejected.
Tortured with knives
The murders of Christian converts Ugur Yuksel and Necati Aydin, along with German citizen Tilman Geske, were gruesome and bestial. It happened at the office of the Christian publishing house Zirve in Malatya on April 18, 2007. The martyrs were tied up and tortured with knives before they died.
The killers were Emre Günaydın, Cuma Özdemir, Salih Gürler, Abuzer Yıldırım and Hamit Çeker, who were all apprehended at the scene.
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On September 28, 2016, each of the five perpetrators was sentenced to three life terms for murder, 30 years for deprivation of liberty and 9 years and 9 months for armed robbery. In addition, two military personnel were sentenced to 13 years and 9 months and 14 years and 10 months and 22 days respectively. 16 other defendants who were allegedly involved in the planning of the murders were acquitted. The court acknowledged that unofficial organizations were involved in the planning of the attack, but ruled that there was not enough evidence to bring a case. The defendants appealed.
On July 18, 2017, a court in Gaziantep upheld the convictions of the perpetrators but acquitted the two military personnel due to lack of evidence. The perpetrators appealed again and TeK appealed the acquittal of the military personnel. Both of these appeals were rejected with the new verdict.
Unless the case is taken to the country's constitutional court, the case is thus closed, according to the Danish European Mission's partner, Middle East Concern.
Although Turkish Christians are happy that the perpetrators are convicted, they are frustrated that others who may havehave been involved in the crime are not held accountable in the same way.
Ask that
- The perpetrators must repent of their actions and repent.
- God will continue to comfort and strengthen all those affected by the murders.
Thank you to everyone who has followed the case over the years and prayed for the resolution of the case and for the bereaved families.
