NOVANEWS
Today, 6 November 2012, the first session of the criminal trial into the Israeli assault on the humanitarian boat “Mavi Marmara” – which killed nine Turkish nationals and injured many others – was held at the Istanbul Çağlayan Courthouse.
The Mavi Marmara was part of the “Gaza Freedom Flotilla” humanitarian convoy which was attacked in international waters on 31 May 2010 by Israeli special military forces while sailing towards the Gaza Strip.
The indictment, served by the Istanbul Office of Public Prosecutor lists 490 individuals, including Mavi Marmara passengers and relatives of the slain activists from 36 countries, as “complainant-victim”. The accused parties are: the Israeli Chief of General Staff, Rau Gavriel Ashkenazi; Naval Forces Commander, Eliezer Alfred Maron; Air Forces Intelligence Director, Avishay Levi; and Chief of Israeli Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin.
The suspects are being tried in accordance with the Turkish Penal Code for voluntary manslaughter, attempted voluntary manslaughter, intentionally causing grievously bodily harm, plundering, abducting or confiscating maritime or railway transportation vehicles, intentionally causing damage to property, deprivation of personal freedom, and inflicting torture and maltreatment.
The trial will last for three days and is being monitored closely by numerous human rights observers, media officials, and lawyers from different countries.
Mr. Davide Tundo, a member of PCHR’s International Unit, is attending the trial as an observer.
Ahead of the trial, on 5 November, Mr. Tundo participated in a meeting with international lawyers, legal experts, and representatives of the Turkish legal team which is representing the Turkish victims of the attack on the “Mavi Marmara”. The meeting addressed legal actions taken at a national and international level with regard to the “Mavi Marmara” case.
