The first hearing of the trial for the murder of three members of the Şenyaşar family, who were killed by bodyguards and relatives of AKP Urfa MP Ibrahim Halil Yıldız on 14 June 2018, opened in Malatya on Tuesday.

The trial began more than four years after the murders. 19 suspects face various prison sentences for killing Esvet and Adil Şenyaşar and injuring Ferit and Mehmet Şenyaşar.

The Şenyaşar family was attacked at their store in the Pirsûs (Suruç) district of Urfa. The attack by the relatives of AKP member Yıldız continued in Suruç State Hospital, where the wounded were taken.

Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar and his injured sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar were murdered in the hospital in front of their mother, Emine Şenyaşar.

Two brothers of the Şenyaşar family, Ferit and Fadıl, who were injured but survived, were later detained, and Fadıl Şenyaşar was arrested. However, none of Yıldız’s relatives or his bodyguards were detained, despite the fact that three people had died.

Only 15 months later, on 18 September 2020, was Yıldız’s older brother Enver Yıldız arrested.

Mesopotamia Agency reported that the hearing was closed to the press, and some people from the family of the AKP MP threatened a reporter from the Evrensel newspaper.

Speaking to the Mesopotamia Agency in front of the courthouse before the hearing, Emine Şenyaşar said, “Arrest the people who slaughtered my sons. Why aren’t they under arrest?”

The court adjourned the trial to 15 March.