ISTANBUL. – There was a new development in the next court trial into the case of Sevag Sahin Balikci, the Istanbul Armenian who was killed, on April 24, 2011, in a military unit while serving in the Turkish army.

The court ruled that a criminal case be launched against Sevag’s immediate commander Sabrettin Ersoz, and on charges of negligence and abuse of official position. Also, the court decided to join this case to Sevag’s murder case, NTV News Agency of Turkey reports.

The presiding judge noted that they are waiting the instructions for some witnesses, the recordings of the telephone conversations between Sevag and Kivanc Agaoglu, and Sevag’s commander’s and Kivanc’s coming to court, and therefore the court adjourned until September 7.   

In court, Sevag’s mother Ani Balikci noted that those who demand free education are put into jail in Turkey, whereas the murderer of her son is roaming about freely. 

Sevag Balikci was killed by fellow soldier Kivanc Agaoglu, but the Turkish gendarmerie had stated that the death had occurred accidentally while the soldiers were joking around. Sevag’s parents assert that he was killed for being Armenian.

Agaoglu was released at the very first court hearing, and on the grounds that he had no reason to escape. But at Diyarbakir Military Court, an anonymous senior officer had stated that, after Sevag’s murder, an eyewitness soldier had told him that Kivanc Agaoglu had told Sevag: “Chubby, I will kill you!”