84-Year-Old Armenian Woman Brutally Murdered in Istanbul

[Yervant1]

Behind the Police Lines: The Attacks Against Armenians in Samatya

 

Posted by Aris Nalci on February 1, 2013 in Opinion · 1 Comments· http://www.armenianweekly.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-email/images/email.gif Email · http://www.armenianweekly.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-print/images/print.gif Print

 

 

 

 

Special for the Armenian Weekly.

Historian Taner Akçam recently told me, “Living in Turkey as an Armenian is an art; the art of survival.” He was right.

http://www.armenianweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/demo-300x199.jpg

http://www.armenianweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/demo-300x199.jpg

 

 

Protest against anti-Armenian crimes in Samatya, Istanbul: “We stand together with Armenians, we won’t give way to racism.” (Photo shared on Facebook by Halkların Demokratik Kongresi [HDK])

And only a couple of days later I was in Samatya trying to understand what’s happening there.

Samatya is one of the oldest districts in Istanbul. After the establishment of the Turkish Republic they renamed it Kocamustafa Paşa. But many people still use the old name.

Since Nov. 2012, we are reading reports that there are attacks against elderly Armenians in the neighborhood. In December, Marissa Kuchuk was killed during one of these attacks. Several attacks followed.

Even the Armenian community doesn’t know the exact number of the attacks, because Armenians are frightened to even say that they were attacked. If there is no considerable harm, they don’t want to talk about it. This silence confuses the public and allows the police and others to argue that the attacks are not hate crimes.

Now let’s dig deeper, reminding ourselves that as of Jan. 31, the police hasn’t made a single arrest.

The Armenian NGO ‘Nor Zartonk’ has been following these attacks and its representative, Sayat Tekir, told me on our TV show (IMC-GAMURC) that in their report dated Nov. 2012, they predicted a rise in hate crimes against Armenians.

Around the same time, Göksel Gülbey, president of ASIMDER (The Association for fighting against Armenian Claims) was sharing the names and addresses of Armenian schools in Istanbul on his Twitter and Facebook accounts, without providing additional commentary. He was essentially making these schools targets of attacks.

Soon thereafter, a Turkish teacher at the Aramyan Unciyan Armenian School was murdered in his house not far from the school. Yet no one investigated the president of ASIMDER. The latter even complained that he was threatened by Armenians and asked for protection from the government.

Now let’s return to the attacks in Samatya.

The Aksaray Police Department, under the jurisdiction of which is Samatya, told Human Rights Association, Istanbul branch representatives on Jan. 23 that the attacks weren’t hate crimes. The police also pointed to the increased police presence in the neighborhood.

Commenting on the most recent attack, which took place on Jan. 23, the police argued that it took place when the policemen in the area were on a lunch break… Let’s assume this statement is true. Doesn’t it mean that the assailants knew about the police department’s shifts, and that these attacks were certainly well organized?

In turn, Istanbul’s Mayor announced during a press conference on Jan. 25 that the city would broaden the investigation to include two other attacks that have occurred in the Sisli and Fatih neighborhoods. But “fortunately” those two other attacks were against two Turkish old women. Essentially, the mayor had figured out a way to argue that the attacks were not racially motivated.

So why are the police and the mayor insisting that these attacks are random and are not hate crimes against Armenians?

Because if the attacks are organized and are targeting Armenians, it means that nationalism continues to be on the rise in this country. It means that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has failed to address this problem.

It also means that while the AKP was busy with the deep state organization Ergenekon, it didn’t give enough importance to the KAFES operation, which was a part of Ergenekon, and targeted Turkey’s Armenians specifically.

The names of many who worked for the Turkish Armenian weekly newspaper Agos were on the murder list of Kafes. They also sent threatening letters to Armenian schools in Istanbul.

It would have been much more effective if the Mayor made a statement in support of the Armenian community. This simple gesture would have calmed the community in Samatya a little.

Armenians in Istanbul want to believe that these attacks were not targeting them specifically. But they also remember what happened in 1915, 1942, and 1955…

And it seems that such attacks or threats are going to continue until 2015, the centennial of the genocide. And the upcoming elections won’t help either, because it’s possible that the government will look the other way to win nationalist votes.

[Yervant1]

ASSAULTING ARMENIANS IN TURKEY: THIS TIME IT'S OLD LADIES

 

Christopher Atamian

 

Writer, director, producer, and translator

 

Posted: 01/31/2013 2:12 pm

 

Turkey , Armenian Genocide , Adiyaman , Alevis , Armenians , Assyrians

, Constantinople , Istanbul , Kurds , Samatya , Shabin-Karahisar ,

World News

 

There are few things more deleterious to human peace and mutual

understanding than knee-jerk reactionary nationalism or ethnic

generalizations. That being said, I have been shocked by the attacks

in the past few weeks that have been perpetrated in the Samatya

neighborhood of Istanbul on elderly Armenian women, one of them as she

was on her way to church. Is this the increasingly tolerant Turkey

that we keep reading about in the press and in white papers at

conferences around the world? Granted, this may be the work of one

isolated crazed killer; its effects are nonetheless chilling.

 

Although the Turkish police has apparently sent countless plainclothes

officers to parole the Samatya area, not enough has been done to decry

these cowardly attacks or to publicize them in the Turkish press --

the Armenian-Turkish publication Agos notwithstanding. What kind of a

coward attacks eighty- and ninety-year-old women on their way to

church, stabbing them to death in one case and beating another

senseless in the other? Coming as this does on the heels of the sixth

anniversary of Turkish-Amenian journalist and human rights activist

Hrant Dink's assassination in front of Agos headquarters, these

attacks are particularly alarming. And given the history of

subjugation and persecution that Christians faced during the Ottoman

Empire and the upcoming 100th memorial of the Armenian genocide of

1915 -- which also saw the annihilation of Turkey's Assyrians and

Pontic Greek populations -- these aggressions are particularly

shameless. The Armenian community of Istanbul, called Bolsahays in

Armenian, are understandably alarmed and cowed. As a result they have

stayed largely silent about these latest attacks on their community.

 

But they shouldn't stay silent. The Bolsahays must not let the forces

of xenophobia and hatred win out. They should form neighborhood

watches and escort their elderly to and from market and church if

necessary. Along with the equally persecuted Alevi and Kurdish

minorities, they must make their voices heard as much as they can in

official and unofficial Turkish channels and become agents of change.

 

Easy to say, writing from the safety of the Upper West Side, some

might snicker. But the alternative is to appear defenseless and to

invite more attacks.

 

I happen to be a great fan of Turkish culture and the Turkish

language, and a true lover of Istanbul, once one of the world's great

cosmopolitan cities. My Turkish friends always encourage me to visit,

to spend time, even to come back and live in Turkey as my ancestors

once did. But I need more than just these righteous few and their

welcome encouragement in order to believe that there exists a safe

haven in Turkey for people such as myself, descendants of Armenian

genocide victims deported form their homes in Shabin-Karahisar and

Adiyaman and a myriad of other villages into the Syrian desert. I need

-- the entire world needs -- for Turks to rise up en masse and say

enough! No more violence against our Christian, Kurdish or Alevi

minorities. We need the Turkish government to come clean and make

reparations for 1915 and we need their ongoing campaign of hatred --

in Turkish schoolbooks and on TV and in the written press -- to end,

once and for all. Then Turkey can claim its rightful place as a great

country and become cosmopolitan and tolerant, one fully cognizant of

the fact that it is a country -- like the United States -- in fact

made up of a mosaic of interwoven and beautifully different yet

similar ethnicities and religions. It has been almost 100 years since

the Armenians of Anatolia disappeared into a haze of brutal pillage

and destruction. Turkey can transform itself from a denialist state

into a beacon of hope for the Middle East, but it must start now and

act quickly. There can be no more dithering. Time is of the essence.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-atamian/hunting-armenians-again-turkey_b_2562371.html

[Yervant1]

ASA, AYF protest against anti-Armenian crimes in Turkey

 

http://media.pn.am/media/issue/144/030/photo/144030.jpg

February 2, 2013 - 10:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian American youth – their mouths symbolically covered with red tape – held a silent protest, calling on Congress to reject Turkey’s gag-rule on U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, citing the recent ethnically-motivated attacks against elderly Armenian women in Istanbul as the latest example of the dangerous atmosphere created by Ankara's denials and ongoing demonization of Armenians.

The demonstration, held in front of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, was organized by Armenian Student Association (ASA) members from the across the U.S. along with the Washington, DC "Ani" chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Ani chapter and other local youth, to coincide with the nationwide “Stain of Denial” campus protests organized by the All-ASA and supported by the AYF and ARF Shant Student organizations.

"It was of great importance to make our voices heard and educate the American society about the existing anti-Armenian sentiment in Turkey, which carries its legacy from the Armenian Genocide of 1915,” explained Bloomfield College honors student, Armen Sahakyan, an organizer of the event. “We, as the Armenian youth, will keep our Cause alive for as long as our demands aren't met by the denialist Turkish government."

UCLA ASA Public Relations Director Knarik Gasparyan, who co-organized the event, explained that the effort attracted Armenian and non-Armenian youth alike, many in Washington DC for Capitol Hill internships or semester programs through their colleges and universities. "I want to highlight the fact that many non-Armenian students participated in today's protest, standing in solidarity with us and supporting our efforts to shed light on the horrific hate crimes and human rights violations in Turkey,” explained Gasparyan. “This once again comes to prove that the cause we fight for and the recognition of the Genocide is not simply an Armenian issue, but of concern to all humanity."

Protesters carried photos and spotlighted four widely publicized attacks against elderly Armenian women, one fatal, which have taken place over the past two months, in the historically Armenian-inhabited neighborhood of Samatya, in central Istanbul. On Dec 28, an 85-year-old Armenian woman was repeatedly stabbed and killed in her home, with assailants carving a cross on her chest. Other attacks include the Nov. 2012 beating of an 87-year-old Armenian woman, and a failed attempt to abduct an elderly Armenian woman on Jan 6. According to Turkish news outlet, Bianet, the latest incident took place on Jan 22, when 83-year-old Sultan Aykar was attacked and repeatedly kicked until neighbors heard her screams and rushed to assist her. Aykar lost sight in one eye because of the brutal beating.

[Yervant1]

TURKISH WOMEN MARCHED PROTESTING AGAINST ATTACKS ON ARMENIAN WOMEN

 

10:30, 4 February, 2013

 

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. The Feminist Union of Istanbul

criticized attacks on the Armenians in Samatya district and left

flowers in front of the house of murdered old Armenian woman Maritsa

Kucuk. "Armenpress" reports about this citing Turkish Sondakika.com.

 

Over 200 women gathered in Fatih KocamustafapaÅ~_a Square with posters

saying "Armenian Women are not Alone". One of the feminist leaders

made a speech and stated: "Recently the discrimination against the

Armenians grew in the society and governmental circles and this is

reality. We will remind you every time that as women we are against

the violence and follow the developments."

 

Marissa Kucuk was a little old Armenian lady who lived on her own in

Samatya, a picturesque neighborhood of Istanbul where Christians and

Muslims used to rub along peacefully. On December 28th Ms Kucuk, 85,

was found dead in her apartment. She had been stabbed, repeatedly. In

late November 2012, an 87 year-old woman was physically attacked in

the street. She was severely beaten and as a result of the attack

lost the sight in one eye.

[Yervant1]

MARCH PROTESTING VIOLENCE AGAINST ARMENIANS IN TURKEY TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

 

NEWS.AM

February 07, 2013 | 16:08

 

YEREVAN. - A protest march to condemn the discriminatory policy that

is conducted against the Armenians of Turkey will be held in Armenia's

capital, Yerevan.

 

The "Club of Young Diplomats" NGO released a respective statement.

 

"The "Club of Young Diplomats" NGO deplores the attacks and violence

against the Armenian women in Istanbul's Samatya district, and demands

from the authorities of Turkey to ensure the safety of their citizens

and to be steadfast in bringing the guilty to account.

 

We call upon all international organizations and human rights

associations to react to the inaction by the Turkish authorities,

and to take measures to protect those persons in the country that

are subjected to persecution on nationalist grounds.

 

We call upon the NGOs, youth organizations, [and] individuals in

Armenia to join the protest march to condemn the discriminatory policy

that is conducted in Turkey against our compatriots.

 

The march will be held on February 11, at noon. The route: Republic

Square, UN Office, EU Office," the statement specifically reads.

[Yervant1]

ALARM AT ATTACKS ON TURKISH ARMENIANS

 

Institute for War & Peace Reporting, UK

IWPR Caucasus Reporting #677

Feb 22 2013

 

While Istanbul police say common criminals carried out assaults,

others suspect an ethnic motive.

 

By Aline Ozinian - Caucasus

CRS Issue 677, 22 Feb 13

 

A series of attacks on elderly Armenians in Istanbul has left human

rights activists fearful of an upsurge of xenophobia in Turkey.

 

The latest victim was Sultan Aykar, an 80-year-old who lost an eye

when she was attacked.

 

"If her neighbours hadn't come to her aid, my grandmother would

be dead now," Aykar's granddaughter Karin Etik said by phone from

Istanbul. "She had blood in her mouth, and she was so scared that

she couldn't speak."

 

It was only the latest in a series of attacks targeting Armenians. At

the end of December, an 85-year-old woman called Maritsa Kucuk was

murdered, in the same Istanbul neighbourhood, Samatya.

 

Samatya where the attacks have taken place, has traditionally had a

large community of Armenians, who have enjoyed good relations with

Turkish and Kurdish residents over many decades.

 

The Turkish press initially ignored the assaults, but concerns began

to grow in the international media and among human rights groups.

 

A January 27 demonstration in Samatya was attended by Turkish and

Kurdish members of parliament, as well as representatives of women's

rights organisations. Participants held up banners saying, "Don't

hurt my Armenian neighbour".

 

"They want to scare the Armenians, to remind them that they will

not die of old age in their beds," said AyÅ~_e Gunaysu, a member of

anti-racism committee of the Human Rights Association of Turkey. "The

fact that the police are describing these fascist assaults as robberies

only helps to encourage fascism. They are attempting to ethnically

cleanse Samatya. We mustn't forget the fact that the Armenian genocide

is still denied in this country, and these events are a result of

this denial."

 

Turkish police have treated the attacks as ordinary crimes, perhaps

the work of drug addicts who share the common belief that Armenians

tend to be wealthier than others.

 

"We need to be prudent when we discuss these attacks. I would like

to wait before speaking," Mustafa Demir, mayor of Fatih district,

which includes Samatya, told Hurriyet Daily News. "All these attacks

have involved theft as well, so it seems there's little chance that

these are nationalist crimes, if you look into the details."

 

Others disagree, and suspect a more sinister motive.

 

"I have no doubt that these events are hate crimes. They need to

be looked at against the background of attacks on Greeks and other

Christians," Orhan Kemil Cengiz, a journalist for the Radikal and

Today's Zaman newspapers, said. "I think that by creating fear among

Christians, someone is trying to recreate the chaotic atmosphere that

dominated Turkey prior to the murder of Hrant Dink,"

 

Hrant Dink was an ethnic Armenian journalist murdered in 2007 by a

young Turkish nationalist, apparently because of Dink's comments

criticising Ankara's refusal to recognise the early 20th-century

killings of Armenians as genocide . Public outrage at this murder

led to a wave of dismissals from Turkey's security services, but

analysts say extreme nationalism is again spreading , encouraged by

rogue elements within the state.

 

"Such incidents are the result of deep-laid plans and have deep roots.

 

The Turkish government must solve these crimes not only to save the

lives of individual Armenians, but to strengthen its own authority,"

Berat Bekir Ozipek, a political analyst with the Liberal Thinking

Association and a journalist for the Star newspaper, said.

 

Aline Ozinian is a PhD student in Yerevan.

 

http://iwpr.net/report-news/alarm-attacks-turkish-armenians

[Yervant1]

TURKISH RULING POWER, NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDERS OF ARMENIAN WOMEN

 

http://www.arfd.info/2013/02/13/turkish-ruling-power-number-one-responsible-for-the-murders-of-armenian-women/

February 13, 2013

 

In a meeting with the media, at Henaran press club, Director of ARF-D

Bureau International Secretariat, Giro Manoyan refering to the latest

murders of Armenian women, in Turkey, held the Turkish ruling power

as the number one responsible for the implementation of the policy

of violence in the country. "In reality, these latest incidents

constitute an expression of the on-going antiarmenian ambience. It is

the same ideology that it has been carried out since the Young Turks

era" henaran.am quotes. Manoyan notes that despite the efforts of

the Turkish ruling party to be freed from the Ataturk atmosphere,

it keeps implementing that same policy. "No high-ranking officer

has made any public referrence to these antiarmenian acts. Only the

police and local government authorities have touched upon them aiming

at presenting them as robbery attempts". The Constantinople department

of the Human Rights Defender's Office of Turkey gave to the public a

special report, stressing that the investigation of the crimes would

be public, which never happened Manoyan said. In that report there

was a clear reference to the non-existence of an anti-Genocide law in

Turkey. "This means that being Armenian maybe considered a blasphemy

but it doesn't incur a criminal punishment".

 

Many link the growth of the antiarmenian acts to the centennial of

the Armenian Genocide, Manoyan thinks. "The closer we get to that

date the more the number of antiarmenian acts will grow. We are not

saying that this is necessary a plan of the ruling power. However,

firstandforemost, it is the one bearing the responsibility; and that's

a fact" he added.

 

Manoyan said that based on Armenian and Turkish media reports the

situation is quite worrying since Armenians in Samatya are really

scared. There are houses with cross signs over the entrance doors

and people are afraid that they could be subjected to violence

anytime, tert.am reports. "We must not compromise, we must voice the

prevailing situation as much as possible" said Manoyan and stated that

an all-Armenian stance should be formed. In his opinion, this doesn't

necessarily mean that all Armenians would have to say the same thing

but there is a need of having a clear picture of what Armenians want.

 

According to mardik.am, the ARF-D member argued that as far as

Turkey's EU accession process is concerned the European Union also,

must be strict so that Turkey doesn't become a member without having

first done anything in that direction.

[Yervant1]

The Armenians commited the Armenian Genocide as well!!!!!!!!!

 

Suspect in assaults on Turkish Armenian women detained

 

http://media.pn.am/media/issue/148/452/photo/148452.jpg

March 4, 2013 - 17:50 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish police have detained a 40-year-old man in Istanbul’s Fatih district on assault charges over the attacks on elderly Armenian women in Istanbul’s Samatya neighborhood, daily Hürriyet reported. The suspect, identified as Murat N., is a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin and was detained as a suspect in five attacks, one of which resulted in death.

The suspect lives alone and allegedly committed the assaults for theft, according to unnamed sources.

Police sources neither confirmed nor denied the detention.

On Dec. 28, 2012, Maritsa Küçük was stabbed seven times before her throat was slit at her home in Samatya. Two other attacks were carried out in the same month against elderly Armenian women in the Samatya and Bakırköy districts as well.

One of the women, 87-year-old Turfanda Aşık, lost an eye, while the other woman was robbed and severely injured. Most recently, 84-year-old Sultan Akyar was attacked in Samatya, after which she underwent eye surgery. On Jan. 27, a march was organized in Samatya district to protest the attacks.

[MosJan]

It is yet unknown whether Ilker Sahin was Armenian or Turkish

 

 

it will not be hard at all for them to pin thin on anyone including Armenians, any tourist any working man is a target at this moment, case will be build and the accused killer will be practiced in flaying colors if his Armenia

 

yes menak im mernelu or@ chgitem

[Yervant1]

Mayor, locals happy with Armenian woman murder arrest

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

 

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/images/news/VERCIHAN-ZIFLIOGLU-(3)web.jpgVercihan Ziflioğluvercihan.ziflioglu@hurriyet.com.tr

 

Istanbul’s Fatih district mayor, Mustafa Demir, has expressed his satisfaction with the arrest of M. N., the sole suspect in the investigation of multiple assaults against elderly Armenian women, which resulted in one death.

 

“Before his arrest there were provocative and discriminative scenarios,” he told the Hürriyet Daily News in a phone interview yesterday. “But the history of these people, who have been living together in Samatya for 550 years, should not be forgotten. No matter if they are Turks, Armenians or Muslims, the fact is there is a petty crime here,” Demir said.

 

The 38-year-old suspect, who is said to be a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin, was detained March 4. An Istanbul judge later ruled to arrest the suspect.

 

Demir also said that because the assaulted were all elderly women living alone, it is safe to say the victims were targeted for their vulnerability rather than for their identities. “First of all, as Fatih mayor, I am happy about the arrest of the suspect. Also, I would like to thank Samatya Surp Kevork Church authorities for their calm attitude,” he said.

 

On Dec. 28, 2012, Maritsa Küçük was stabbed seven times before her throat was slit in her home in Samatya. Two other attacks were carried out in the same month against elderly Armenian women in the Samatya and Bakırköy districts as well. One of the women, 87-year-old Turfanda Aşık, lost an eye, while another was robbed and severely injured. 84-year-old Sultan Akyar was attacked in Samatya and needed eye surgery.

 

Leading figures of the Armenian community told the Daily News the suspect was not known among the community.

 

Aşık’s grand daughter-in-law Arev Cebeci said they were following the developments closely.

 

“At least it seems that the assaults were not race crimes. The suspect is an Armenian who converted to Islam. It is being said that he lives in Samatya and receives aids from the church, but such information does not exist in church records,” Cebeci said. However, he said he still had doubts. “They said it was a robbery attempt but he stole only jewelry that did not have [much] material value,” Cebeci said. Arsen Arşık, a former academic from Boğaziçi University and an acquaintance of two of the victims, called on the public not to regard the attacks as hate crimes.

 

M.N. was previously convicted of theft on two separate accounts, reports said. He had been staying on the basement floor of a hostel in a nearby neighborhood when he was caught by police.

March/06/2013

[Yervant1]

SECRECY IN THE INVESTIGATION OF ATTACKS ON ARMENIAN WOMEN

 

Today's Zaman, Turkey

March 12 2013

 

ORHAN KEMAL CENGÄ°Z

 

We all sighed a huge relief when we heard that Murat Nazaryan, who is

suspected of murdering one and attacking many elderly Armenian women

in the Samatya district of Ä°stanbul, had been arrested. Nazaryan is a

Turkish citizen of Armenian descent. This has of course, in the eyes

of many, eliminated the much-feared possibility that these murders

and attacks against Armenian women in Ä°stanbul had been committed

out of hatred.

 

The police came out with quite a convincing explanation as to how

and why they arrested the suspect. They looked at all the records of

video surveillance cameras in the region and saw Nazaryan stalking

some elder Armenian women. In addition to this, police reported that

there was a perfect match between the DNA samples collected from the

crime scene where one of the victims was killed and Nazaryan's own.

 

There were however, some questions that were left unanswered:

Nazaryan may be the attacker, but is it possible that there are other

attackers? How did police all of a sudden become so sure that Nazaryan

committed all these attacks and murders on his own? In this vein,

I found what Rober KoptaÅ~_, the editor-in-chief of the Armenian

daily Agos, said to be quite interesting:

 

"I'm not one of those who are highly skeptical about [Nazaryan]. I

researched his story and found out that he didn't have a good

childhood and has some psychological problems. ... He also apparently

confessed. I don't think police would try to force a confession in a

case that has drawn so much public attention. ... But is there anyone

behind the attacks? This is something that needs to be investigated

and answered. We haven't been able to see the evidence or [Nazaryan's]

statement due to the decision to keep them confidential. We'll see what

will happen and what will be revealed during the court proceedings."

 

The Human Rights Association's (Ä°HD) Eren Keskin recently visited

Nazaryan in prison, and also has concerns over what she says is

a strange decision to keep the file closed to the public. Keskin

told the Independent Communication Network (Bianet) that she "does

not understand why there is secrecy over the file nor what the

authorities want to hide from the public." She indicated that file's

confidentiality should be lifted.

 

I absolutely agree with Ms. Keskin. These murders and attacks have

caused much concern in the public and everyone has the right to learn

of any development in the case. If there is such a simple explanation

for these attacks and murders, namely one frantic former criminal who

attacked all these women to rob them, why on earth did the prosecutor

decide to put a stamp of "confidential" on the file?

 

In any case, the decision to do so is extremely problematic. If

this is not an "organized" or "terrorist" crime, what on earth is

this decision of secrecy aiming to protect? In terrorist crimes,

for example, the state wishes to protect witnesses or conceal some

information from the members of the organization who have yet to be

caught. Is there any witness who needs to be protected, or are there

some accomplices in the crime who the prosecutor wants to keep from

learning further about the case? Or, is this simply a precaution to

prevent public involvement in the case -- to prevent people from

asking pressing questions about the quality and the depth of the

investigation and prosecution?

 

I do not know the answers yet, and we will most probably not be able

to find out any more until this extremely suspicious decision to make

the file secret is lifted.

[Yervant1]

My first thought was the same that the suspect was mentally challenged.

 

Turkey kills two birds with one stone accusing Armenian of attacks – expert

 

http://media.pn.am/media/issue/150/146/photo/150146.jpg

March 16, 2013 - 13:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Murat Nazaryan, a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin suspected of attacking elderly Armenian women in Istanbul was used by Ankara to gain its own ends, an expert said.

“Turkey killed two birds with on stone, finding the suspect and an Armenian, at that,” Andranik Ispiryan.

“The judicial opinion based on probe results reveals contradictory statements of the accused, suggesting he’s not certain and doesn’t remember whether he was involved in the attacks. The weak psyche of the accused might prompt Turkey to force him into those actions.”

Despite Turkish media’s citing theft as the motive for the attacks, none of the women were robbed, with a bag of money and pension sum found in the apartments of the two assault victims, the expert said.

[Arpa]

Yeah right!!

They arrest another crazy homeless Armenian for the murder of an American tourist.

Please note where it all happened, in the so called fictitious province of hatay, a suburb of Musa Ler.

Homeless? He probably lives in a palace stolen from the Armenians.

 

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130317/turkey-police-arrest-homeless-man-over-us-tourist-murder

17, 2013 09:45

Turkey police arrest homeless man over US tourist murder

 

What do you think?

Police in Turkey on Sunday said they had arrested a homeless man wanted on suspicion of murdering a 33-year-old American tourist in Istanbul last month.

Mother-of-two Sarai Sierra was found bludgeoned to death near Istanbul's ancient city walls on February 2 -- ten days after her family said they lost contact with the lone tourist.

"The suspect, Ziya T, wanted for the murder of the American citizen Sarai Sierra was arrested today, Sunday, in Reyhanli," read a statement from the Hatay authorities in southeastern Turkey, near the border with Syria.

Special police squads have been searching for weeks for the suspect, who had been on the move since the discovery of the woman's battered body. The man, who has been described as "unstable", will be taken to Istanbul for questioning.

After quizzing several people, Turkish police made Ziya T their main suspect on the basis of DNA tests, which, they allege, show that traces of blood found on the victim's shirt could belong to the suspect.

Sierra's family alerted the authorities to her disappearance after she failed to return home to New York from her holiday as planned on January 21.

ba/ros/ks/mfp

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130317/turkey-police-arrest-homeless-man-over-us-tourist-murder

 

Below we see another fiction that the perpetrator was a crazy Armenian.

Note. Neither Murat not Nazar are genuine Armenian names. Let’s try this again. Is his name Armen Armenyan? Or is it mehmet talaat-ian/osman-ian?

84-Year-Old Armenian Woman Brutally Murdered in Istanbul

March 16, 2013 - 13:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Murat Nazaryan, a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin suspected of attacking elderly Armenian women in Istanbul was used by Ankara to gain its own ends, an expert said.

“Turkey killed two birds with on stone, finding the suspect and an Armenian, at that,” Andranik Ispiryan.

“The judicial opinion based on probe results reveals contradictory statements of the accused, suggesting he’s not certain and doesn’t remember whether he was involved in the attacks. The weak psyche of the accused might prompt Turkey to force him into those actions.”

Despite Turkish media’s citing theft as the motive for the attacks, none of the women were robbed, with a bag of money and pension sum found in the apartments of the two assault victims, the expert said.

[Yervant1]

ATTACKS ON ELDERLY ARMENIAN WOMEN IN TURKEY AWAKEN FEARS

 

15:05, 4 April, 2013

 

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: Attacks on elderly Armenian women in

Turkey has awaken fears and recalled a tortured past and, perhaps,

hinted at future tensions as Turkey prepares to face the 100th

anniversary of the genocide of its Armenian population in the last

years of the Ottoman Empire, reports Armenpress citing The New York

Times: The Article runs as follows:

 

"The man in the ski mask struck in the twilight of late afternoon,

strangling the elderly woman from behind, beating her senseless and

leaving her for dead. He ran off with 50 Turkish lira, about $30,

and her engagement ring, a last memory of her long-dead husband.

 

"He just beat me, over and over again," said the woman, Turfanda Asik,

88, who spent two weeks in an intensive care unit. "He hit my back,

my skinny back. What have I done to him? What did he want? "

 

Ms. Asik was left bruised and blinded in one eye. Her beating is

thought to be the first of a string of attacks in the last few months

on elderly Armenian women in Samatya, Istanbul's historic Armenian

quarter. Until recently in Samatya, a neighborhood of wooden houses

built long ago and centuries-old churches, residents left their

doors unlocked.

 

As brutally as she was beaten, Ms. Asik was lucky. One victim of the

attacks died from her wounds.

 

Along the crooked streets of Samatya and in its teahouses, churches

and social clubs, the attacks have awakened fears - rooted in past

episodes of repression that residents say had waned in recent years

as Turkey became more accommodating toward its minorities.

 

"The community is always living with fear because the Armenian

community has always been under pressure," said Rober Koptas, the

editor of Agos, an Armenian newspaper here that has devoted several

issues to coverage of the attacks. "We were always regarded as

foreigners, as second-class citizens."

 

Armenians and other minorities were once widely discriminated against

in modern Turkey, subject to violent attacks by nationalists and shut

out from prestige professions like the army officer corps. In Samatya,

Armenians were typically artisans and merchants, many toiling in the

maze of stalls at the nearby Grand Bazaar.

 

But in recent times their lot has improved, thanks to reforms brought

on by Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, a process that

has lately stalled. Mr. Koptas, the newspaper editor, said younger

Armenians like him - he is 35 - are speaking and writing "side-by-side

with our Turkish compatriots."

 

"The fear has decreased," he said. "But for the older generation,

it is always there."

 

When the authorities recently arrested a suspect in the attacks

who they said was mentally disturbed and of Armenian origin - not a

fanatical Turk motivated by hatred, as many assumed - it only raised

more suspicions among some residents of Samatya, who said they thought

the police had merely found a convenient scapegoat.

 

Regardless of the perpetrator, the violence has recalled a tortured

past and, perhaps, hinted at future tensions as Turkey prepares to

face the 100th anniversary of the genocide of its Armenian population

in the last years of the Ottoman Empire.

 

Even though that milestone is two years away, in 2015, the country

is already questioning how the anniversary will be treated: as a

chance for reconciliation and full recognition of the massacres by

the Ottoman Army or an occasion for more tension and hate speech of

the sort that appeared on social networks after the recent attacks.

 

"Turkey has to face this," Mr. Koptas said. "Only with this will

Turkey become a democracy."

 

On a chilly afternoon in January, a few hundred protesters marched

down a narrow street that connects with Samatya's main square, which

is bordered by cafes and open-air fish shops. "The Armenian people

are not alone!" Was one chant. "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism,"

was another.

 

"This is normal," said Ayse Demir, a student who participated in the

protest, reflecting the sentiment that Armenians are constantly under

threat. "Armenians can be killed."

 

Another student, standing beside Ms. Demir, said, "There are lots of

racist people in Turkey."

 

Sedat Caliskan, 35, a taxi driver who is Muslim, stood watching the

marchers. "For years, nothing like this has happened," he said of

the attacks. "I want to believe that these are isolated incidents."

 

In simple terms, he spoke of a sense of harmony between Christians

and Muslims in the neighborhood. "On Sundays they go to church,

and on Fridays we go to the mosque," he said.

 

Mr. Caliskan lives three doors down from the murdered woman's home,

which is adorned with red carnations and signs that read: "Don't touch

our Armenian neighbor" and "Don't remain silent. Don't be intimidated.

 

"

 

As he sipped tea and watched the protesters, one longtime resident,

a Greek man named Yorgi Eskargemis, a retired textile merchant,

said that the neighborhood is still as beautiful as the days it

was called "Little Paris." But the attacks, he said , are a "stain"

on the community".

[Yervant1]

ANOTHER ARMENIAN WOMAN ATTACKED IN TURKEY

http://asbarez.com/113068/another-armenian-woman-attacked-in-turkey/
Tuesday, August 20th, 2013

Markırıt Camkosoglu

ISTANBUL (The Armenian Weekly)--An 80-year -old Armenian woman was the
victim of a recent assault in Istanbul's Ferikoy neighborhood on Aug.

17, reported Agos.

The victim was Markırıt Camkosoglu, who lived alone. The assault
happened in her apartment on Savash Street.

Camkosoglu recounted the following to Agos: "On my way home from
the supermarket, I noticed a stranger standing at the entrance of
the building. At first, I was not suspicious. The man was of medium
height, and was dark and ugly. I thought he was one of the neighbors
and was going upstairs. The building I live in is massive, and so it
is impossible to recognize everyone. However, as soon as I opened my
apartment door, the man attacked me. I fell on the floor, and as I
lay there, he started hitting me in the head. I believe he attempted
to murder me. I don't know his voice--he did not say a single word to
me to hide his identity. After beating me, he stole my purse, which
was on the table and which contained only 70 Turkish liras. Then,
he ran away."

Camkosoglu added that she had been living in her apartment for 50
years, and this was the first time that such an incident had taken
place.

During the investigation, the neighbors stated that the attacker must
have been familiar with the entrance to the building. Moreover, he
knew that Camkosoglu lived by herself. For these reasons, he had chosen
to attack at a time the building was calmest in terms of foot traffic.

This incident is reminiscent of earlier attacks on old Armenian women
that took place in the Samatia district of Istanbul between December
2012 and January 2013. One of these earlier assaults led to the death
of Maritsa Kucuk.

Police apprehended a suspect, Murat Nazaryan in March 2012. His
trial is ongoing, although Nazaryan claims he has no memory of
assaulting the women, and that his initial confession was extracted
under psychological duress. The lawyers representing Maritsa Kucuk's
family have demanded the court to launch a broader investigation into
the issue.

[Yervant1]

ISTANBUL COURT COMMENCES TRIAL OVER ARMENIAN WOMEN'S ASSAULT

10:31 ~U 05.11.13

An Istanbul court has opened the hearings against the man suspected
of violent assaults against ethnic Armenian women.

According to the Turkish-Armenian publication Agos, the suspect, Murad
Nazaryan, on Monday added new facts to his earlier evidence, saying
that he had been blackmailed into assaulting and beating the victims.

He told the court that three men had pushed him to the crime,
threatening otherwise to cause harm to his family members.

He said that the unknown man, who carried arms, had taken him to the
house of Maritsa Kucuk and started stabbing the woman.

"When they stabbed her first, I ran away. They had cut my finger before
that to spread the blood on the material evidence. If I see those
people's pictures, I will recognize them," Nazaryan told the court.

He further complained about pressures by the police.

"I told them that because I am afraid and have nothing more to do. So,
I recounted everything the way as it had been. I don't feel safe in
prison. I cannot sleep and have to use pills," said the suspect.

Four elderly Armenian women were subjected to violence in Istanbul in
November-December last year. The 85-year-old Maritsa Kucuk, who was
one of the victims, later died. Nazaryan was detained as a suspect
months later.

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/11/05/muradyan-kuchuk/

[Yervant1]

ARE ELDERLY ARMENIAN WOMEN VICTIMS OF HATE CRIMES?

Al Monitor
Nov 26 2013

Author: Orhan Kemal Cengiz
Posted November 25, 2013

A string of attacks against elderly Armenian women occurred in
Istanbul in late 2012 and early 2013. The victims were all lone
octogenarians. Two of them were badly battered and lost their sight,
while a third was stabbed to death after a brutal beating.

The first victim, Turfanda Asik, 87, lost an eye as a result of a
severe beating at the hands of an assailant who broke into her home.

The assailant - or perhaps the assailants - took nothing from the
apartment.

Shortly after, Maritsa Kucuk, 84, was found dead in her home, stabbed
seven times and badly beaten. Only the earrings and other jewelry
she usually wore were missing, while money was left untouched.

The third victim, Sultan Aykar, 83, was knocked down by an assailant
approaching from behind while she unlocked the door to her home.

Thanks to neighbors who heard the noise and rushed to help, she
survived the attack but also lost an eye.

All three incidents happened in Istanbul's Samatya neighborhood, home
to 8,000-10,000 members of Istanbul's 60,000-strong Armenian minority.

As expected, the attacks had a terrorizing effect on Armenians,
sending shock waves across the entire community.

It was obvious that the string of violence was directed exclusively
at elderly Armenian women and was not robbery-motivated. Yet, in
their initial statements the police insisted that the assailants were
robbery-motivated and did not act in an organized way.

Such statements only fueled the anxiety of the Armenian community,
spreading fears that the police's careless attitude would further
embolden the perpetrators. Human rights groups and activists against
hate crimes raised concern that the state was yet again displaying
a knee-jerk impulse to look the other way when violence targeted
Turkey's Armenians. But just as the controversy had begun to grow,
the police came up with a surprise, announcing on March 4, the arrest
of the 38-year-old alleged assailant. The suspect's blood sample
matched the one found in Kucuk's home. He had a criminal record for
theft as well as another characteristic that debunked those who saw
the attacks as hate crimes against Armenians: Murat Nazaryan was
himself of Armenian origin.

The controversy waned after the suspect's profile emerged and the
attacks came to be seen as incidents of ordinary crime.

The doubts, however, were soon rekindled when the judicial process
kicked off. The court handled Nazaryan's case in a bizarre fashion,
following procedures typical for cases of terrorism and organized
crime. The prosecution imposed a blackout on the investigation, which
meant that the victims' relatives and lawyers had no access to the
case file until the trial opened.

To see the other bizarre details in Nazaryan's case, let's take a
look at the press statement that the victims' attorney, Eren Keskin,
and the Human Rights Association's Istanbul branch released jointly on
Nov. 19 under the headline "Was Maritsa Kucuk killed in a hate crime?

Shed light on the truth!"

Here are the highlights of the statement: "Maritsa Kucuk, 87, was
battered and stabbed to death on Dec. 28, 2012. Had murder been the
only motive, an abrupt blow or a firearm shot would have sufficed to
kill a woman at that age. Yet, she was brutally battered for hours
and repeatedly stabbed.

"From Nov. 28, 2012 to Jan. 26, 2013, a period that spans Maritsa
Kucuk's murder, other elderly Armenian women were targeted in
Samatya in similar attacks involving brutal violence. Following
Murat Nazaryan's arrest, all news reports, which were obviously
funneled to the media from a single source, highlighted Nazaryan's
Armenian ethnicity, branded him the "Samatya assailant," creating the
impression he was responsible for all attacks, and asserted that the
attacks were robbery-motivated. Murat Nazaryan, however, is currently
on trial only for Maritsa Kucuk's murder.

"The meetings we had with the victims' families led to one conclusion:
The attacks were not robbery-motivated. Asik was battered for hours
but not even a single drawer was opened in her home. Kucuk's home
was found all tidy, they didn't look for anything there. Several bank
notes on the table were untouched.

"Maritsa Kucuk's family and their attorney Eren Keskin were barred
access to the crime-scene report and photos and other related police
documents for no less than six months before the trial kicked off
because the prosecution had imposed a secrecy decision on the probe.

The practice of secrecy is used mostly in cases of organized crimes
or in cases related to state security. Why did it become necessary,
if this is an ordinary murder file?

"Murat Nazaryan remained silent in the first two hearings. The only
thing he said was, 'I didn't kill anyone.' At the hearing on Nov. 4,
2013, the truth began to slowly emerge. Maritsa Kucuk was killed by
three people, who had taken Nazaryan along by force. They had guns. ...

[Nazaryan] mentioned gangs. He said he had kept silent because he
was bullied and frightened."

Nazaryan's new testimony has led human rights groups and the victims'
families to believe that a larger campaign of organized attacks could
have been underway than originally was thought. They are urging the
authorities to expand the investigation.

Nazaryan's testimony has yet to lead to other arrests, but hate
crime is back under consideration as the motive. If his account is
not a fabrication, Nazaryan seems to be a mere pawn, with the real
perpetrators at large.

The theory of an organized racist group is being strengthened
by the fact that another Armenian woman was attacked in Istanbul
on Aug. 17, months after Nazaryan's arrest. Like the other women,
Markirit Camkosoglu, 80, suffered serious physical violence but was
lucky enough to escape without major injury.

It would be premature to conclude at present whether Nazaryan is a
deranged ordinary criminal or a pawn manipulated by a racist gang. In
any case, Kucuk's murder and the other attacks deserve to be followed
very closely, keeping in mind the possibility of an organized hate
campaign. Could it be that some gangs in Turkey are trying to give
a message in the run-up to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide? Is it the resurgence of anti-Armenian attacks, unseen since
the 2007 assassination of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink? If
Nazaryan was not really alone, many fresh questions will continue to
pop up.

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/11/elderly-armenian-women-hate-crimes.html#

[Yervant1]

8 CAPTURED IN MURDER OF MAN FOUND HOGTIED IN ISTANBUL

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 10 2016

Cetin Aydın - ISTANBUL

Eight suspects have been captured over the murder of an Armenian-origin
Turkish homeowner, an assault on his wife and the burglary of their
shared home on Feb. 6.

A special team formed by several officers from the homicide bureau of
the Istanbul Police Department Public Order Unit captured three of the
suspects in the Black Sea province of Trabzon late Feb. 9 while five
other suspects, who were reported to have helped commit the burglary,
were captured in Istanbul on the same day.

The move came days after Hagop Yakup Demirci, an 85-year-old Armenian
man living in Istanbul's Å~^iÅ~_li district with his wife, Seta
Ayda Demirci, 79, was found dead after the three burglars left the
old Armenian couple hogtied inside their apartment, from which the
burglars stole 100,000 Turkish Liras on Feb. 6. The body of Demirci
was retrieved from the apartment located in Å~^iÅ~_li's Harbiye
neighborhood with a ladder from the fire department.

After conducting a comprehensive investigation that studied video
footage from security cameras placed at various locations along
Cumhuriyet Avenue, a major road in Harbiye leading to Taksim Square,
officers from the public order department gathered images showing the
faces of the burglars, who were revealed to have gone to Trabzon with
a rental car.

The other five, who were reported to have provided logistical
support to the three burglars, were detained in Istanbul following
an investigation conducted by the special team of homicide bureau
officers.

The three burglars who were captured in Trabzon were preparing to
travel to Batumi, a commercial hub in Georgia, with fake identity
cards, police sources said, adding that the trio had former criminal
records.

On Feb. 6, a cleaner came to the apartment of the couple at around
2 p.m. but could receive no response, prompting the person to inform
the couple's family and the police.

The couple was taken out of their apartment on the third floor of a
building in a joint effort by police officers and firefighters. Hagop
Yakup Demirci was pronounced dead while his wife was found severely
wounded with her face bruised.

A special team formed by several officers from the homicide bureau
of the Istanbul Police Department Public Order Unit captured three
of the suspects, one of whom has been a servant for the Armenian
couple, in the Black Sea province of Trabzon late Feb. 9 while five
other suspects, who were reported to have helped commit the burglary,
were captured in Istanbul on the same day. All eight of the suspects,
five women and three men, were revealed to be Armenians upon a police
investigation.

The burglary and murder led some to theorize that the attack
might have had racist motives as it resembled the assassination of
Armenian-origin Turkish journalistHrant Dink in the same neighborhood
on Jan. 19, 2007. Just like the three burglary and murder suspects,
Dink's murderer, Ogun Samast, was also captured in Trabzon in the
wake of the killing.

Samast, who was originally from Trabzon, came to Istanbul before
shooting the prominent journalist on Cumhuriyet Avenue.

February/10/2016

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.hurriyetdailynews.com_8-2Dcaptured-2Din-2Dmurder-2Dof-2Dman-2D-2Dfound-2Dhogtied-2Din-2Distanbul.aspx-3FpageID-3D238-26nID-3D95000-26NewsCatID-3D509&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=wiq2LeXEHZGHt63hZXULQed6pmIe5b4DtABXPpKlXkM&s=ITKr_EMavCgvx1_u_2agJ-RcrE-7ygiimsOXA0iUCS0&e=

[Yervant1]

Is this true? Or the blame game is at work.

ARMENIANS NABBED OVER MURDER OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN

Daily Sabah, Turkey
Feb 11 2016

DAILY SABAH
ISTANBUL

Police captured nine people, all Armenian nationals, in the northern
city of Trabzon and Istanbul over the murder of Hagop Yakup Demirci,
a Turkish-Armenian found dead in his home on Saturday. Demirci and his
wife Seta Ayda Demirci were hogtied when the 85-year-old man living in
Istanbul's Å~^iÅ~_li district died of strangulation. His wife survived
with injuries while police launching a probe traced the suspects seen
in security camera footage to Trabzon. Suspects, including a woman
working for the care of the elderly couple, were apparently preparing
to flee abroad from Trabzon, which is located near Georgia. Another
suspect, an Armenian living in Istanbul, was captured in the city.

All the suspects were brought to Istanbul Wednesday while police
said they found a wristwatch belonging to Hagop Demirci and $10,000
in the possession of the suspects. Police said five of the suspects
were women.

The police have set up a special team of investigators to find the
perpetrators of the home invasion of the couple.

A funeral was held for Hagop Yakup Demirci Wednesday at the Feriköy
Surp Vardanas Armenian Orthodox Church in Istanbul.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.dailysabah.com_investigations_2016_02_11_armenians-2Dnabbed-2Dover-2Dmurder-2Dof-2Dturkish-2Darmenian&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=wTDiFOTrzfPXjUrOxzq8Hr9c7e8dNg-fUmCeAosNbrc&s=tpZ0R4qoYmuS_2drq91O-1c5R1lh5z4kpTiFHI5fge8&e=

 

[Yervant1]

ISTANBUL ARMENIAN COMMUNITY WORRIED AFTER ATTACK ON AN ELDERLY COUPLE

19:07, 16 Feb 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Hagop Yakup Demirci, an 85-year-old Armenian man living in Istanbul's
Sisili district with his wife, Seta Ayda Demirci, 79, was found dead
after three burglars left the old Armenian couple tied inside their
apartment on February 6. The burglars stole 100,000 Turkish Liras.

"When the information on the attack on an Armenian family spread in
Istanbul, it caused fear among Armenians that the crime could have
been committed by Armenians. Now it's an undeniable fact that the
couple has been attacked by citizens of the Republic of Armenia,"
regional studies expert Sargis Hatspanyan told a press conference
today. According to him, the Turkish Police have disseminated
information, claiming that the group committed other crimes in Turkey.

"This murder that could seem a regular crime to many, contains a lot
of problems," Hatspanyan said. "Turkey, in the face of its President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan can use this private story against us. Besides,
the attack has seriously damaged the reputation of the Armenian
community of Istanbul," the expert said.

Everything was arranged by an Armenian housekeeper. "Today Armenians
of Istanbul fear for their lives. They are not sure whether they can
trust Armenian housekeepers," Hatspanyan said.

Seta Ayda Demirci heard the criminals speak Armenian, but didn't tell
the Police. The woman tried to keep the fact secret. The movement of
the criminals was fixed by street cameras, whiched helped solve the
crime easily.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.armradio.am_en_2016_02_16_istanbul-2Darmenian-2Dcommunity-2Dworried-2Dafter-2Dattack-2Don-2Dan-2Delderly-2Dcouple_&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=fyanebRSfjWKRFHHv2nWJKbDeAFOEboUXrSnJoIHV1E&s=YLI67g0eIkcZWlriJBsq01GuuKlI_YY-93EdhRRCa9M&e=

[Yervant1]

MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR KILLING ELDERLY ARMENIAN WOMAN IN ISTANBUL

17:00, 25 Feb 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Criminal Court of Istanbul has sentenced Murad Nazaryan to life
imprisonment for killing an elderly Armenian woman, Ermenihaber.am
reports, quoting the Turkish Haberler.com.

The Court also ruled to apply to the Prosecutor's Office of Istanbul
with a request to detect other participants of the crime.

The lawyer of the defendant insisted that not all facts had been
revealed and demanded to clear Nazaryan of charges. The culprit also
pleaded not guilty.

Maritsa Kucuk, 85, was brutally killed at her home in Istanbul in 2012.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.armradio.am_en_2016_02_25_man-2Dsentenced-2Dto-2Dlife-2Dfor-2Dkilling-2Delderly-2Darmenian-2Dwoman-2Din-2Distanbul_&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=_yYROsNBVOQ90-Qd6l7MtCQN6WmhOTqEXjQrlp9T1ds&s=7wUcTD_ePf1crNTS1PX2nAtzcsHIq76qHM5PdoHVF0Y&e=

[Yervant1]

TURKISH LAWYER: ISTANBUL ARMENIAN WOMAN'S MURDER IS FRAMED ON COMPATRIOT BY THE STATE

00:04, 26.02.2016

Eren Keskin, who is the attorney of the victim's family, is not
satisfied with the court ruling on the murder of Istanbul Armenian
Maritsa Kucuk.

Keskin criticized the incomplete investigation into the murder case,
according to Agos Armenian bilingual weekly of Istanbul.

She stressed that they had insisted since the beginning of the trial
that this murder was committed on the grounds of hatred, and it is
proved that there were other people at the scene of the crime.

"What happened is framed on an Armenian by the state," Eren Keskin
added.

The Turkish court sentenced Istanbul Armenian Murat Nazaryan to
life imprisonment for the murder of compatriot Maritsa Kucuk, 85,
four years ago.

At the last court hearing on this murder case, the attorney of the
defendant presented numerous evidences that his client was not alone
at the scene of the crime and that there are main perpetrators.

And Nazaryan, for his part, stressed that he has not argued with
anyone to this day, let alone kill someone.

The court, however, found Murat Nazaryan guilty, and sentenced him
to life in prison.

>From December 2012 to January 2013, elderly Armenian women were
assaulted--and Kucuk was killed--in the densely Armenian-populated
Samatya district of Istanbul.

Istanbul Armenian Murat Nazaryan was arrested on suspicion of
committing these assaults.

Those who know Nazaryan, however, said he is a very calm person,
and it is hard to believe that he was accused of such a thing.

In addition, even though traces of other people's blood were found
at the scene of the crime, the court disregarded this fact.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__news.am_eng_news_313744.html&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=yH2n8R_aTpf4Fiz18AnWdja4lqfenFb2uJ3wEzw6E9U&s=mzs6z23PGSQN_8Q_lcYs7s_dibeXxz16iRWolcEg-i0&e=