DEFENDANTS OF INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN GUMGAPHU CHURCH CHANGE THEIR EVIDENCE
Noyan Tapan
Jul 6, 2007
ISTANBUL, JULY 6, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The trial of Volkan
Karaova and Yelmaz Jan-Eozalpi, detained on the charge of shooting
a rifle in the territory of the Gumgaphu Episcopal Residence of the
Mother Church, started in Istanbul on July 2.
The court hearing started with the cross-examination of the
defendants. The Daily Marmara reports that the defendants claimed
this time that they had started a quarrel with a group because of
Russian prostitutes and evaded them in order to get rid of them in
the territory of the church. And when they saw an official running
in their direction through the garden of the church, they thought
that he was one of the group and that is why they shot in the air.
In response to the judge's question of why in that case the defendants
declared in the police station that they had gone to church in order
to kill Patriarch Mutafian, both of them declared that they were
confused and made that statement unconsciously.
The lawyers claimed that their defendants should be set free, however,
the judge did not sustain this application. It was decided to postpone
the court hearing and invite the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople
to listen to his testimony at the following court sitting.
Noyan Tapan
Jul 6, 2007
ISTANBUL, JULY 6, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The trial of Volkan
Karaova and Yelmaz Jan-Eozalpi, detained on the charge of shooting
a rifle in the territory of the Gumgaphu Episcopal Residence of the
Mother Church, started in Istanbul on July 2.
The court hearing started with the cross-examination of the
defendants. The Daily Marmara reports that the defendants claimed
this time that they had started a quarrel with a group because of
Russian prostitutes and evaded them in order to get rid of them in
the territory of the church. And when they saw an official running
in their direction through the garden of the church, they thought
that he was one of the group and that is why they shot in the air.
In response to the judge's question of why in that case the defendants
declared in the police station that they had gone to church in order
to kill Patriarch Mutafian, both of them declared that they were
confused and made that statement unconsciously.
The lawyers claimed that their defendants should be set free, however,
the judge did not sustain this application. It was decided to postpone
the court hearing and invite the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople
to listen to his testimony at the following court sitting.
