COLEMÊRG – Twenty years have passed since the bombing of Umut Bookstore, where the perpetrators were caught red-handed. Bookstore owner Seferi Yılmaz said, “The state’s first step must be to confront unsolved murders and its own crimes.”
Yılmaz highlighted that the trial was significant in Turkish history. Despite being caught at the scene on November 9, 2005, the accused—non-commissioned officers Ali Kaya and Özcan İldeniz, and informant Veysel Ateş—were acquitted. Yılmaz criticized political and judicial pressure, saying that despite public support, the case was manipulated, and evidence was suppressed. She added that the acquittal, justified by alleged lack of evidence, leaves the verdict meaningless in the eyes of the people.
‘CRIMES AGAINST KURDS REMAIN UNPUNISHED’
Yılmaz noted that crimes committed by JİTEM were often dismissed or ended in acquittal. She argued that these crimes were carried out on behalf of the state and that perpetrators are protected, leaving crimes against Kurds unpunished.
‘THE STATE MUST ACCEPT ITS CRIMES’
Yılmaz emphasized that the peace process offers an opportunity for the state to confront its crimes. She said the perpetrators must be exposed and truth must be acknowledged. Establishing a Truth Commission is necessary for progress, and the state must face the evidence it already holds.
CASE BACKGROUND
On November 9, 2005, a bomb exploded at Umut Bookstore in Şemzinan, killing one person and injuring another. Locals captured the attackers—Ali Kaya, Özcan İldeniz, and Veysel Ateş—on the spot, and military IDs and documents linking them to political targets were found in their car. The investigation and trial went through multiple civilian and military courts over 20 years, with repeated releases, retrials, and eventual acquittals in 2021, upheld by the Court of Cassation in 2023. The case is now awaiting a ruling by the Constitutional Court for 3 years.
MA / Adnan Bilen