Border execution investigation: Lieutenant opened fire and rested! 

2025-01-08 10:47:43


	WAN - First Lieutenant Y.A., who was detained for only a week for the murder of Seyithan Durdu, said that he took a rest at the police station after firing two shots in the air. Lawyer Özal Bedir stated that the soldiers left Durdu, whom they had wounded, at the scene and went to the police station. 

	The confidentiality decree on the investigation of Seyithan Durdu, 40, who was shot to death by a military vehicle on December 28, 2024 in Avzêrk quarter of Serav (Saray) district of Wan (Van), continues. First Lieutenant Y.A., who was detained within the investigation, was arrested on January 1 on the charge of "deliberatly murder". However, he was released from prison a week later upon an objection. Durdu's lawyer will appeal the decision today.

	 

	The minutes of the testifies of two first lieutenants and a specialist corporal, who were detained within the scope of the investigation, were obtained. According to the reports, the soldiers left Durdu seriously wounded at the scene and returned to the police station. Eyewitnesses called 112 after a long time and Durdu was taken to hospital, but he dies of internal bleeding. 

	 

	'I FIRED IN THE AIR' ALLEGATION 

	 

	Claiming that they were chasing refugees in a civilian vehicle, 3 soldiers stated that they encountered a group of refugees at around 03.40 in the morning and detained them. First Lieutenant Y. A. claimed that he fired two shots in the air with his pistol and then went to the police station to rest. Y.A. claimed that he received news that a person had been shot and lost his life around 07.00 am and said, “I think there might be other military groups following the migrants besides us. Because there were gunshots from time to time during our patrol hours. I do not know the person named Seyithan Durdu. I never went to the place where the person in question was shot during my patrol activity.” 

	 

	'HE IS WOUNDED BUT THEY DON'T HELP' 

	 

	Özal Bedir, the lawyer of the Durdu family, said that they intervened in the case on the second day of the incident. Stating that they met with the prosecutor's office conducting the investigation, Bedir noted that the confidentiality order on the file continues. Bedir said, “Seyithan Durdu lost his life as a result of gunfire in the countryside of (Girêdil) Dönerdere neighborhood. However, neither the hospital nor any other place was notified after the shooting. On the first day of the investigation, witnesses to the incident are detained. When the incident became clear a few days later, two first lieutenants and a specialist corporal were detained and one person was arrested. The worst thing is that what happened after the incident was not reported to the gendarmerie, the prosecutor's office or the hospital. The shots fired were already from a short distance. Seyithan Durdu is injured, but they do not help him.” 

	 

	'WITNESSES REVEALED IT' 

	 

	Stating that the investigation is ongoing and will be expanded, Bedir continued as follows: “We are pursuing the case on charges of 'delibrate murder' and 'neglect of duty'. If the witnesses had not been there, due to the conditions of the terrain, the snowfall and the fact that the incident took place at night, we would probably have been able to reach the body of this person after the snow melted, that is, only in the spring. The presence of the witnesses would have revealed this situation. The reports of the investigation at the scene of the incident, the tire tracks of the military vehicle, the traces of blood, everything was identified. It is impossible for the soldier not to have seen Seyithan Durdu being shot. This will be revealed if the secrecy order is lifted. We have no doubt that the person was followed, shot at close range and left there. The work of the prosecutor's office on this incident continues. We demand that all the details of the incident be revealed and a fair investigation be carried out.”

	 

	MA / Adnan Bilen - Özlem Yacan