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Syrian immigrants earn just 3,000 Turkish liras a month, or about £70, far below the mandatory minimum wage of 17,200 Turkish liras.
For example, the three murdered Syrian men were barely eking out a living working shifts at various construction sites in Izmir’s upscale Güzelbahçe (“Beautiful Gardens”) neighborhood. It has good ventilation and is a popular vacation destination for both Turkish and foreign tourists.
The murder investigation and subsequent trial, like the grave, are largely forgotten in Turkey, except for a few loyal human rights lawyers and refugee advocates.
In recent years, they have vigorously sought a final court decision that specifically identifies hatred and discrimination as the motive behind the murder, essentially classifying the heinous murder as a hate crime; That would set a new legal precedent. In Türkiye.
Such a result, labeling it a hate crime, would be a landmark decision for Turkey. No court in this country has ever handed down a decision like this before.
As defendant Kemal Korkmaz had previously confessed, there was a strong motive to do so. Evidence and testimony presented in court also showed that in the weeks before the attack, he had talked about “wiping out” Turkey of Syrians, specifically that he wanted to kill Syrians.
“Your views on the motive of hatred will set a precedent for future laws,” Zafar Inshin, one of five lawyers representing the victims’ families, told the judges at Wednesday’s final hearing. told. “We believe that by highlighting the hate motive in this decision, we will pave the way for legislation in Congress.”
But on Wednesday, an Izmir court sentenced Korkmaz to life in prison as expected, but the final verdict did not cite hatred as a motive, much to the dismay of the victims’ families and lawyers.
Activists have criticized Turkish courts for their reluctance to do so, saying it would open a can of worms and lead to a flood of retrial requests.
“If that decision is taken, there could be hundreds of lawsuits, not just those related to Syrian refugees,” said Taha El Ghazi, a Syrian human rights activist in Turkey. “Many cases will have to be reopened.”
More than a dozen armed riot police, some in plain clothes, were present in court for the final trial, underscoring the sensitive political nature of the case.
Even the defendant’s lawyer, concerned about public retaliation against Korkmaz’s representatives, declined to speak to the Telegraph on the record, another example of the fraught nature of the case.
“There is no access to justice.”
Activists say there are hundreds of incidents of violence against Syrians across Turkey, but very few make it to court. About a dozen such cases are currently pending in courts across the country, according to Onen, who tracks and witnesses the legal proceedings.
“These attacks are having a really chilling effect on the whole community,” Ms Sinclair-Webb said.
“People are very afraid to complain. If you are the victim of a crime, you find it difficult to file a complaint with the police. It can cause trouble rather than starting an investigation into the real culprit. ,” she said. “There’s a real sense that access to justice doesn’t exist.”
“Everything about Mamoun is nostalgic,” said Ahmed al-Nabhan, 33, of his late brother, whom he held in his arms as a newborn. “Our mother was devastated. She has been grieving ever since she learned of Mamoon’s death.”
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