Lawsuits filed against 28 people in attack on İmamoğlu

Duvar English

A lawsuit was filed against 28 people for "attempted armed and simple injury" in relation to the stone attack organized against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu at his Erzurum rally on May 7 before the elections.

The indictment prepared by Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office also included 15 victims and 20 complainants including İmamoğlu, his advisor Murat Ongun and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Erzurum Provincial Chair Suat Dülger.

The prosecutor stated in the indictment that the people who came to listen to İmamoğlu met in the city square, and at the same time "a group of people who did not have a party flag in their hands outside the barriered area suddenly started shouting slogans,” according to the reporting of İsmail Saymaz from daily Sözcü.

The indictment emphasized that it “were not clear who they were and for what purpose they were there” when they began to chant.

The indictment stated that at the moment when İmamoğlu started to speak, "the group approached the area, shouted slogans, and some of them threw lighters, water bottles, stones and similar materials despite the warnings and prevention by the police.”

The prosecutor also claims that the suspects did not know each other and came to the scene separately, that "there was no unity of opinion and action between them" and that "they did not act in an organized manner."

Some of the attackers, whose identities were identified through CCTV footage, claimed in their statements that they "did not throw stones.”

In his testimony, a specialized sergeant said that when he saw some party members were making the victory sign, he threw two iron coins to the ground in a way that would not cause any damage. The Turkish Defense Ministry dismissed him from military after his involvement with the attacks.

While one person claimed that he threw pine cones he found on the ground, another person said that he threw plums at the participants.

Another attacker said, “I joined the group to criticize İmamoğlu's victory sign at a rally in the Southeast Turkey. In a moment of anger, I picked up a stone from the ground and threw it randomly at the group."

Victory sign is a popular political symbol in the Kurdish movement. Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu was targeted by the nationalists for a long time when she made the victory sign with her husband Ekrem İmamoğlu at a rally in Eastern Van province before the elections.

More than ten people, including the elderly and children, were injured in the attack on the rally.