Soldiers who opened fire during Lice demonstration identified, weapons seized

Soldiers that opened fire during clashes in Lice, resulting in the death of two demonstrators, have been identified by prosecutors, the head of the Diyarbakır Bar Association said June 9.

The weapons of the soldiers were also seized as part of the investigation, Tahir Elçi said.

“The prosecutors that we have met said they were aware of the sensitivity of the situation. They told us that the identities of the tasked personnel at the scene had been determined, the bullet shells had been collected and that the weapons of the personnel had been seized,” said Elçi, adding that they were asking for an objective investigation.

“In the past the public servants responsible or suspects of crimes that were a violation of the right to life were protected during investigations. No efficient and objective prosecution was carried out most of the time. The fact that evidence was not collected as it should be and perpetrators did not stand before the judge led to injustices,” he said.

Ramazan Baran, 26, and Baki Akdemir, 50, both died from gunshot wounds when the military opened fire in Lice. Demonstrators have been blocking highways to protest against the construction of a gendarmerie post in the district for over two weeks.

The killings escalated the tension in the region triggered many protests across Turkey, including Istanbul’s hotspot neighborhoods of Gazi and Okmeydanı.