The repercussions of Ahmet Turan Kılıç (86), who received 35 years of imprisonment in the trial regarding the Sivas Massacre in which Madimak Hotel was burned in 1993, to be granted amnesty for his age and illness continues.

 

THERE ARE MORE PRISONERS WAITING TO BE RELEASED

 

The artist Mazlum Çimen, who lost his father, Kurdish poet Nesimi Çimen in the massacre, reacted to the decision and mentioned the prisoners who are currently waiting to be released. Çimen said: "How many prisoners are there in Turkey right now at that age or older, who is sick and in need of health care? How come do you grant amnesty to this one while there are scores of people sick, old or on hunger strike?" 

 

I WON'T FORGIVE

 

Çimen said: "You can grant people amnesty according to your own rules, in line with your own ideas, they have given you this right. But you should not use this right to cause public indignation." Çimen referring to Erdoğan's words about the amnesty proposal of Nationalist Movement Party, stating 'We can grant amnesty to the crimes against the state, but the state won't forgive the crimes against persons', and said he will never forget Kılıç.

 

Çimen, “Sen kendi kurallarına göre ya da kendi hakların doğrultusunda bunu yapabiliyorsun, böyle bir hak vermişler sana. Ama bu hakkı öyle bir yerde kullanmalısın ki bu toplumsal bir infial yaratmamalı” dedi. Bir süre önce Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (MHP) tarafından gündeme getirilen af önerisi üzerine Erdoğan’ın, “Affı devlete karşı işlenmiş suçlarda yapabiliriz, kişisel suçlarda devlet affetmez” şeklindeki sözlerini hatırlatan Çimen, kendisinin de Kılıç’ın affedilmesini kabul etmeyeceğini belirtti. 

 

‘WE ARE TIRED OF DOUBLE STANDARDS’

 

Çimen stating, 'We are tired, frustrated, drowned and crazed by these double standards', said: "How long will this go on? You granted amnesty to that person because he is 85 and sick. There are scores of people in prisons that should be released but kept in prison despite Forensic Medicine Institution reports. Do you only see your kind of people?'

 

'THERE IS NO AMNESTY FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY'

 

Çimen pointing out that Sivas Massacre is a crime against humanity, Çimen said: "We have to consider the Sivas Massacre as a crime against humanity once again. There is no postponement, timeout or amnesty for crimes against humanity. When the Sivas case time barred, the president said 'Congratulations to our nation and our people'. All expectations on judiciary have ended after that. This is when I stopped believing in this country."

 

Çimen who said he was not surprised when he heard that decision, said: "I was not surprised. Because I don't know what else will happen in this country but I know what has happened. And I expect the worse will happen too. There is no need to be surprised in this country. Every apalling thing has happened, and will happen again."

  

 

MA/ Erdoğan Alayumat