Defendant parents in the school attack case in Kahramanmaraş appear before the judge for the first time

The detained father of İsa Aras Mersinli (14), who killed 10 people and injured 15 people by carrying out an armed attack at Ayser Çalık Secondary School in Kahramanmaraş, police chief inspector Uğur Mersinli (54), and his detained mother, teacher Peyman Pınar Mersinli (52), appeared before the judge for the first time.

Relatives of those who lost their lives in the attack, those who were injured and their families, and lawyers attended the hearing held at Kahramanmaraş 3rd High Criminal Court. Uğur Mersinli and Peyman Pınar Mersinli were connected to the hearing via SEGBİS from the prisons where they were detained.

In the indictment prepared at the end of the investigation, 10 life imprisonment was requested for Uğur Mersinli for the crime of "killing with possible intent" and up to 30 years of imprisonment for "injuring with possible intent".

A prison sentence of up to 22.5 years was requested for Anne Peyman Pınar Mersinli for "causing the death and injury of more than one person through conscious negligence".

The hearing started with Uğur Mersinli's defense. Mersinli's words, "My condolences to our families and our nation," caused the reaction of the families in the hall.

Families said, "Address us. We are not going to say God bless everyone who expresses our condolences."

Uğur Mersinli, who rejected the accusations against him, stated that the perpetrator of the attack was his son and made the following defense:

"A lawsuit should be filed against the perpetrator İsa Aras from Mersin. Since the perpetrator İsa Aras is from Mersin, there is no instigation. The approach that parents should be punished and set an example is extremely wrong. The perpetrator of the crimes of intentional murder and intentional injury in the Turkish Penal Code is İsa Aras from Mersin."

Mersinli said that it was stated many times in the indictment that his son was the perpetrator of the attack and continued his words as follows:

"A public lawsuit should be filed against İsa Aras Mersinli for intentional murder, intentional injury and theft. I am filing a complaint against İsa Aras Mersinli for stealing my guns. My son took the guns from me without my permission and without my consent."

Mersinli also stated that his son went to the guidance service 32 times and requested that the dates and reasons of these meetings and the guidance counselor's notes be determined.

Mersinli said, "Is there a management gap at the school before and at the time of the incident? There is no witness statement indicating that İsa Aras Mersinli had aggressive attitudes."

Anne Peyman Pınar Mersinli also did not accept the accusations.

Mersinli, who defended herself by crying, said, "I would like to start by expressing my condolences, but I don't know what to say because you see me as the mother of a murderer. I am in shock from the incident, I started using medication. I do not know the number of weapons or their shape. My wife took care of Aras fainting and was taken to the hospital and said that he had to go to a psychiatrist. So we did research. I am very sorry, I am very sorry for everyone. I saw him leaving the house, but how can I think that there was a gun in the bag?"

The first hearing of the case at Kahramanmaraş 3rd High Criminal Court continues.