Despite the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom and government claims, Christians do not enjoy freedom of religion in many areas of Turkey.
Turkey (MNN) ― The wheels of justice are turning slowly in the murder trial of three Christians murdered in Turkey two years ago. Varol Bülent Aral, a suspected middleman, failed to appear at a hearing because the state prosecutor's office neglected to provide the funding for his transportation from Istanbul to Malatya, according to reports from Compass Direct News and other publishing houses.
In April 2007, Salih Guler, Cuma Ozdemir, Hamit Ceker, and Abuzer Yildirim, and alleged ring-leader Emre Gunaydin murdered German Christian Tilmann Geske and Turkish Christians Necati Ayden and Ugur Yüksel. They tied the three men to their chairs, stabbed them, and tortured them before slitting their throats at Zirve Publishing House. The publishing house printed Bibles and Christian literature.
The five perpetrators have been caught, but some believe they were connected to a deeper conspiracy. Suspect Emre Gunaydin named Varol Bülent Aral as one middleman between the five murderers and a possible "deep state" conspiracy.
Erdal Dogan, one of the case's plaintiff lawyers, protested the witness's failure to show up.
"They didn't bring the witness due to a lack of funds. That the Justice Ministry knew the court date and didn't put money aside for the witness to come is a tragic state of affairs," he told Compass Direct.
"It is very provocative that a defendant in such a case could not be brought to court due to a lack of funds. I think the Justice Ministry should have something to say on this issue," he explained to Today's Zaman.
Pray for Turkish Christians as they continue to witness and learn to depend on God for justice.
