The court ruling with respect to the case into the death of Sevag Sahin Balikci—an Istanbul Armenian who was killed, on April 24, 2011, in a military unit while serving in the Turkish army—did not satisfy Sevag’s parents, who stated that they will appeal this ruling. 

During a press conference that was held by Sevag’s parents and their attorney, several facts and evidence were presented that were overlooked during the trial, Pressturk.com of Turkey reports. The Balikci family attorney, Cem Halavurt, noted that those who were responsible for the murder were not touched upon during the trial, and a strong pressure was exerted on the witnesses. 

The attorney also stressed that they believe Sevag’s murder was premeditated, and not a result of negligence, and noted that they will appeal the court ruling.     

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Diyarbakir Military Court made a ruling in the case into the death of Sevag Sahin Balikci. The court sentenced Kivanc Agaoglu—the fellow serviceman of Balikci— to 4.5 years in prison on charges of negligent manslaughter. But considering that Agaoglu already had been in custody for some time, the court ruled that he will spend solely three years in prison. 

To note, Sevag Sahin 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, however, 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!”