Scandalous statements took part in the court decision concerning the case of Emrah Gezer who was killed by police officer Serkan Akbulut for singing a Kurdish song. While Sinem Uludað, who was judged as instigator for saying “kill them”, was imposed a pecuniary penalty of 1.500 TL, victim Gezer’s brother Ramazan Gezer was sentenced to 15 months in prison and 1.475 TL pecuniary penalty on charges of”provocation”.

The event took place on December 27, 2009 when a discussion started in a bar in Cankaya district of Ankara when Serkan Akbulut’s girlfriend Sinem Uludað insulted Emrah Gezer who was singing a Kurdish song in the bar. “You PKK members are everywhere” said Uludað and instigated the police officer who therewith shot Gezer dead.

While Ankara 9th High Criminal Court didn’t account Uludað as instigator arguing that she said those words under the influence of alcohol, the court reduced the life imprisonment sentence given to police officer to 19,5 years, considering the Kurdish song and the reaction of Gezer’s brother and sister as “provocation”. With this precedent decision ruled, “killing a Kurd” has now obtained a legal basis.

The decision said; “The court refuses that defendant Sinem Uludað said those words consciously and that accused Akbulut decided on the killing action under the influence of words said by Uludað.”

Ankara Bar Association Member Erol Aras reacted to the decision saying that; “The victim did nothing but to sing a song in his mother language. This decision will increase the attack against the people singing in their mother tongue. This decision can not be regarded as legal and humanitarian.”