Citing security, lawyers ask to lift judicial control of police officer convicted of killing Gezi victim

Lawyers for police officer Ahmet ?ahbaz, who shot and killed Ethem Sar?sülük as police moved in on protesters in Ankara's central K?z?lay Square on June 1, 2013, asked a local court to remove ?ahbaz's judicial control and ban on overseas travel, arguing that these measures have threatened his client's security.

Under judicial control, ?ahbaz is required to give his signature every Friday at a police station where he is residing, the lawyers explained in their appeal to the Aksaray Court of Serious Crimes.

"Implementation of probation is delayed and could not be implemented because of file transfers and correspondences in relation with changes of locations where the client is on duty," the lawyers said.

"Forasmuch as the client is a police officer and his escape is out of question. Additionally, implementation of judicial control threatens the security of the client who is targeted by terror organizations and about whom there is a protection decision. In the current situation for the client, it is not possible to travel to ?anl?urfa every week to give his signature and this would jeopardize his security as well. The client is a police anyway and is resuming his duty. We ask for lifting of the judicial control decision," the lawyers said. 

Sar?sülük died after being hospitalized for more than two weeks, becoming the third protester to be killed at the hands of the police during the protests.

On Sept. 3, 2015, the 6th Court of Serious Crimes in Ankara ordered ?ahbaz's discharge. 

?ahbaz had been sentenced to seven years, nine months and 10 days in prison for shooting Sar?sülük point blank, but the prosecutor in the case had demanded a far heavier sentence of 26 to 33 years in prison.

The ruling was...