Karpaz Donkey Massacre: One Suspect Released, Three to Stand Trial Without Detention

At yesterday’s hearing at İskele District Court, suspects Turan Kalın and Evren Dağ were charged with “failing to keep a firearm secure” and released on bail. Meanwhile, Umut Durmuş faced charges of “possession of explosives,” “unlawful possession of a firearm,” and “harming animals.” He was also released on bail with conditions, including a travel ban and a requirement to report to a police station once a month.

During the hearing, defense lawyer Öner Şerifoğlu objected to the “harming animals” charge against Umut Durmuş, arguing that possession of a single spent cartridge was not sufficient evidence to link him to the killings. He also stated that Durmuş’s phone had been sent to Turkey for forensic analysis to recover deleted WhatsApp messages from the relevant dates, emphasizing that if incriminating evidence were found, new charges could be brought.

Prosecutor Aysın Bilgin countered that the spent cartridge found in Durmuş’s possession matched the ammunition used in the killings and that the deletion of WhatsApp messages was significant.

After reviewing the evidence, Judge Sema Kaymaklılı Güven ruled that the cartridge was consistent with the ammunition used in the killings and that the deleted messages were a relevant factor. She ordered Durmuş’s release on bail, pending trial, under the existing charges, with a travel ban and a monthly police check-in requirement.