The 8th hearing was heard of the case in which the accused non-commissioned officers Ali Kaya and Özcan Ildeniz and confessor Veysel Ateş were re-tried for the bomb attack on Umut Bookshop in Şemdinli (Hakkari) on 9 November 2005. The hearing was held at Van 1st Criminal Court.

Bookshop owner Seferi Yılmaz, Van Bar Association President Zülküf Uçar and lawyers attended the hearing.

Yilmaz said: "Do you think that these people, who carried out this attack, came to give a concert to Semdinli? These people were caught red-handed."

Van Bar Association President Zülküf Uçar said: "Ali Kaya, Özcan Ildeniz and Veysel Ateş should be arrested again and should be tried in detention."

The court adjourned the hearing to 24 March 2020, sending the file to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of Van to present its opinion on the merits.

Background

On 9 November 2005 the bookshop in Şemdinli (Hakkari) belonging to Seferi Yilmaz was attacked with grenades. One person died and several were injured in the attack on the Umut bookshop. The attack was carried out by Turkish Gendarmerie personnel, who were caught in the act by local residents.

The men are said to have worked for the Gendarmerie's JITEM intelligence unit. Two hand grenades were thrown, and a further two retrieved from the car of Kaya and Ildeniz, which was registered to the local Gendarmerie.