17/04/2025 | Writer: Oğulcan Özgenç
The 41st hearing of the case concerning the murder of Ahmet Yıldız, who was killed by a parent in 2008 due to sexual orientation, was held. Lawyers' requests were denied, and the hearing was postponed to December 25.
The 41st hearing of the case concerning the death of Ahmet Yıldız, who was murdered by a parent in 2008 due to sexual orientation, was held at 12:00 PM at the 5th High Criminal Court of the Anadolu Courthouse.
In the 17th year of the case, where the perpetrator still remains at large, the court rejected the lawyers’ requests to hear the testimonies of Ahmet Yıldız’s mother and siblings.
The prosecutor requested the continuation of the arrest warrant issued for the defendant, Yahya Yıldız. The court accepted this request and postponed the hearing to December 25, 2025.
“The court, ignores possibilities and refuses to hear the mother and siblings”
Attorney Yağmur Birdal shared details of the hearing with KaosGL.org. Emphasizing that the court persistently refused the requests to hear the mother and siblings, Birdal said:“The hearing started on time. As soon as we entered the courtroom, the court attempted to set the date for the next hearing because Yahya Yıldız had not yet been captured. However, we insisted on having our statements recorded in the minutes. They refused, claiming we were repeating the same statements.
We repeatedly requested that the mother and siblings be heard. Their testimonies were never taken, not even during the investigation phase. The court rejected our request on the grounds that they ‘cannot conduct an investigation.’ We submitted precedent decisions regarding this issue to the court. When we emphasized the importance of hearing the mother and siblings, tension arose between us and the presiding judge.
Perhaps, after 17 years, the mother might say something different—might have changed their mind. This could open a new path for tracing the parent. A long time has passed since the murder, but everything can still change. However, the court, persistently refused to consider this possibility. In response to our demands, they dismissively said, ‘You can’t know better than us, we are the court,’ and rejected our requests.”
Birdal, evaluating the case which risks being subject to a statute of limitations, added:
“The Ahmet Yıldız case is a clear example of the ongoing violence against LGBTQ+ individuals in Turkey and how such violence is ignored by the state. During a time when the concept of 'family' is being glorified and declared the 'Year of the Family,' the government's silence in the face of a murder committed by a family member against an LGBTQ+ person is laid bare through this case.”
What happened?
The case opened following the 2008 murder of Ahmet Yıldız by a parent due to sexual orientation has seen little progress. Since the case began in 2009, the fugitive parent, Yahya Yıldız, has not been apprehended.At the February 28, 2023 hearing, the court declared the case file confidential and barred the press and observers from attending. At the July 4, 2023 hearing, the court also rejected the intervention request of the Ankara Bar Association’s LGBTQ+ Rights Center.
Following the 40th hearing held on June 27, 2024, attorney Yağmur Birdal told KaosGL.org:
“The Ahmet Yıldız case has exposed a legal scandal for 15 years. The court persistently refuses to hear family members’ testimonies. Not only has there been no effective investigation, but the lawyers' requests are also disregarded. The perpetrator(s) of Ahmet Yıldız’s murder remain unapprehended due to impunity policies, and those responsible for the deaths of LGBTQ+ individuals hide behind this shield of impunity. This deeply damages faith in the rule of law.”
Tags: human rights
