Samet Özgül, a motorcycle courier student at Gazi University Department of History, was beaten and stabbed in the throat by 3 people with whom he had an argument while driving a motorcycle in Ankara on the night of November 5, 2022. Özgül, who was seriously injured, died in the hospital where he was taken.
Motocourier Samet Özgül was commemorated by his family and friends in Yenimahalle on the 4th anniversary of his death.
Speaking here, Samet Özgül's sister, Berna Özgül, stated that the suspects were tested for alcohol after the incident, but no drug test was performed. Özgül reacted to the fact that these people were not tested for drugs, claiming that the suspects had "records of drug sales and possession" in their past.
Berna Özgül claimed that the incident took place on the night of November 5, and that they were not informed by the police until the morning of November 6. Stating that his brother was taken to the hospital alone, Özgül said that the other party found his brother's phone and reached them while they were waiting at the hospital, but the police could not find the phone.
Özgül stated that there was a police station near the scene of the incident and the distance was approximately five minutes, and also drew attention to the deficiencies in the expert report. Özgül stated that there was a security camera at a gas station that saw the spot where the incident took place, but they provided the camera footage of the pharmacy and that some areas were in the shadows in these images.
Stating that the expert report stated that no one had a knife in their hand at the time of the incident, Özgül said that it should be clarified how his brother lost his life. Arguing that the incident could be clarified more clearly if the camera footage of the gas station was obtained, Özgül stated that his brother was stabbed in the throat, beaten and had to go to the hospital alone, and that the suspects were caught drinking alcohol in the park after the incident.
"THERE IS NO JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY"
Brother Özgül said, "Is this justice or right?" and continued as follows:
"In the picture we face today, the Court of Appeal sentenced the defendant Halil İbrahim Demirci to 25 years in prison and applied a discount for good behavior after he bowed his neck and expressed regret. His father Bülent Açıkgöz and his friend Mustafa Demirci, who participated in this crime, were also released. Their criminal records were extensive. There is no justice, no law. There is no justice in this country. We are still demanding justice since 2022. We want it not only for ourselves, but for everyone who was murdered in this country. We want it for İliç, We want it for Gayrettepe, we want it for the motocouriers, we want it for the families of the earthquake victims, we want justice for the women, children and our children who were openly murdered in MESEM.
Yes, we are the working class. Yes, my brother was a working motorcycle courier. It's so easy to step over it, isn't it? There are 600 deputies, there are ministries. What are they doing? Look, today is November 7th. Where are the MPs? Did you have a hard time getting in your protection vehicle and coming here? Did you find it difficult to come here and voice the voice of motocourier Samet Özgül? I say this both to the government and to the opposition. We want justice. I will go to visit the grave again, feeling the embarrassment of not being able to keep the promise I made to my brother. Is this right? Is this justice? "I made a promise to my brother in this case and I will not break that promise."
"All that is left for us is to MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD WITH THE MURDERERS AT THE DOORS OF THE COURTS IN THIS COUNTRY"
Samet Özgül's mother, Hacer Baran Özgül, also reacted to political parties, stating that they were not given enough support. Mother Özgül criticized the reduction in the sentences of the defendants and the acquittal of two people and claimed that there were many files about the defendants. Addressing the Supreme Court, Özgül said, "How many years, how many weeks, how many days, how many months have it been and you still haven't given us an answer. Many beautiful children, women and girls of this country are gone. Those children, those women are so beautiful and so clean... All we have to do is to make our voices heard at the court gates and in the middle of the streets with the murderers and drug dealers in this country."
