Turkish Court accepts indictment seeking life sentences for five former soldiers

The Midyat High Criminal Court accepted an indictment seeking aggregated life sentences for five former soldiers on Wednesday, former Midyat Gendarmerie Commando Battalion Commander Hurşit İmren, former Dargecit Gendarme Commander Mehmet Tire, Gendarme Station Commander Mahmut Yılmaz, Former Deputy Gendarme Station Commander Haydar Topçam and Sergeant Kerim Şahin for killing eight people, including two teachers and a sergeant in 1995.

The five suspects are accused of killing seven people while they were unlawfully detained for having ties with the PKK. The suspects are also accused of killing specialist Sergeant Bilal Batırır by burning his body in the coal bunker of a police station after he witnessed the crimes.

The indictment includes testimonies of the victims' relatives, secret witnesses and officers who were on duty when the incidents happened. Prosecutors demand between three to eight counts of life sentence for suspects. The first hearing of the trial will be held in upcoming days.