Medet Serhat
Encyclopedia
Medet Serhat was a Turkish
lawyer of Kurdish
descent, from an aristocratic family of Igdir branch of widely spread Retkan tribe. He was involved in the Susurluk scandal
. He was a prominent member of Istanbul Bar Association, which he was also elected as a Principal Member of Dicipline Committee of Board of Directors of Istanbul Bar Association in 20.12.1975 from Çağdaş Avukatlar Grubu (Modern Lawyers Group). Medet Serhat, was known for his humanitarian behaviour between people, rather than completely favouring Kurds, and having support of both Kurds and Turks from different political points. He have represented many Kurdish and Turkish political and business figureheads, most notably amongst them is Behçet Cantürk
, who was also killed 1994.
He was born in Iğdır
(then part of Kars
Province) to İsa (father) and Bahar (mother) Serhat.
He graduated from the Faculty of Law at Istanbul University
.
He was kept in prison for 13 months in 1959 and he was released subsequently. When the Supreme Court quashed the verdict, he was sentenced in a re-trial to 10 months 20 days in prison. The case was about university students group having Kurdish identity, and having higher education with Kurdish idedntty, instead of assimilating to a Turkish identity. The court accused these students as "Kurdish Communist". It was a frequent tool of Turkish state to brand any opposition as socialist or communist, thus believing to justify the state was right in the Cold War
era. The case, commonly known as 49lar (Eng. 49ers) for there were 49 suspects, is the first case of the new republic reflexes for Kurds will be harsh even if its a totally civil, not an armed organization, and accepted as the first civil movement for Kurdish identity in the Turkish Republic.
He was prosecuted without arrest in 1963 accused of having disseminated Kurdish propaganda in the journal “Denge,” which he published in İstanbul.
In 1965, he was sentenced to 1 year 4 months in prison for establishing a Kurdish organization.
In 1975, he was elected Principal Member of Dicipline Committee of Board of Directors of Istanbul Bar Association from Çağdaş Avukatlar Grubu (Modern Lawyers Group), winning 396 votes of members.
In 1977, he attended the International Lawyers Meeting in Zagreb
, Yugoslavia
.
In 1978, he was elected Istanbul Representative of "İttihad-i Vatani Kürdistan“ (Union of the Kurdish Nation) which was active abroad parallel to Jalal Talabani
.
He was a candidate for Kars from the list of the CHP
in the local elections held in 1979.
In 1980, he joined the TKP (Communist Party of Turkey) as a provisional member.
He was detained on 27.01.1981 on charges of disseminating communist and Kurdish propaganda and was released on 29.01.
In 1982, he joined the defense in a PKK trial that was launched in Erzurum
. As well as, the trials in Istanbul
and Diyarbakir
.
In the same year, he was arrested for membership of the Executive Board of the Peace Association.
He was released in November 1983. In 1984, he was acted as the lawyer of Behçet Cantürk, who was involved in drug trafficking, for only one case, and although Behçet Cantürk had another lawyer officially, Medet Serhat always thought to be his lawyer.
He was among the founding members of the “Kurdish Rights and Freedoms Foundation,” which was established in İstanbul in 1990 with the aim of establishing the Kurdish National Union, and in this respect establishing a national assembly and a Kurdish political party on a legal platform.
In 1991, he was among the lawyers who clients among the defendants of the “Peace Committee Association” trial.
He was among the persons who signed the declaration of “Call for the Democracy Assembly,” which was written during the General Assembly of the Democracy Party (DEP) held in Ankara on 18 and 19 December 1993.
He was among the lawyers who defended MPs from the defunct DEP in the trial launched against them at Ankara SSC in October 1994.
He was killed along with his driver outside his house in Erenköy, İstanbul, on 12.11.1994. His wife barely survived 14 bullet wounds, and in all her statements she could give up the details or her husband's murderer, and her attacker, but could not give up any facial details till she have seen Nurullah Tevfik Agansoy
on television.
Medet Serhat's murder at 1994 instantly declared as an Extrajudicial killing, and its still unsolved. Extrajudicial killings were a tool used by Turkish Deep state
between 1992 to 1994. Medet Serhat's murder had a huge impact of stopping it more at least more Kurdish public figures as approximately 5.000 people both Turkish and Kurdish, marched at his funeral. His colleague members from the Istanbul Bar Association attended with their courthouse robes.
His name was mentioned as an organized murder by the Deep State in Susurluk Scandal
, and now his family ask from the court to be part of victims from the Ergenekon (organization) due to the confessions made by the organization members.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
lawyer of Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
descent, from an aristocratic family of Igdir branch of widely spread Retkan tribe. He was involved in the Susurluk scandal
Susurluk scandal
The Susurluk scandal was a scandal involving the close relationship between the Turkish government, the armed forces, and organized crime. It took place during the peak of the Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, in the mid-1990s...
. He was a prominent member of Istanbul Bar Association, which he was also elected as a Principal Member of Dicipline Committee of Board of Directors of Istanbul Bar Association in 20.12.1975 from Çağdaş Avukatlar Grubu (Modern Lawyers Group). Medet Serhat, was known for his humanitarian behaviour between people, rather than completely favouring Kurds, and having support of both Kurds and Turks from different political points. He have represented many Kurdish and Turkish political and business figureheads, most notably amongst them is Behçet Cantürk
Behçet Cantürk
Behçet Cantürk was a Turkish mob boss, who was involved in the Susurluk scandal.Behçet's father was named Reşit.Starting in 1975, Cantürk became a partner of some smugglers by providing money for them...
, who was also killed 1994.
He was born in Iğdır
Igdir
Iğdır is the capital of Iğdır Province in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, and borders Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. The border with Armenia is formed by the Aras River...
(then part of Kars
Kars
Kars is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. The population of the city is 73,826 as of 2010.-Etymology:As Chorzene, the town appears in Roman historiography as part of ancient Armenia...
Province) to İsa (father) and Bahar (mother) Serhat.
He graduated from the Faculty of Law at Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
.
He was kept in prison for 13 months in 1959 and he was released subsequently. When the Supreme Court quashed the verdict, he was sentenced in a re-trial to 10 months 20 days in prison. The case was about university students group having Kurdish identity, and having higher education with Kurdish idedntty, instead of assimilating to a Turkish identity. The court accused these students as "Kurdish Communist". It was a frequent tool of Turkish state to brand any opposition as socialist or communist, thus believing to justify the state was right in the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
era. The case, commonly known as 49lar (Eng. 49ers) for there were 49 suspects, is the first case of the new republic reflexes for Kurds will be harsh even if its a totally civil, not an armed organization, and accepted as the first civil movement for Kurdish identity in the Turkish Republic.
He was prosecuted without arrest in 1963 accused of having disseminated Kurdish propaganda in the journal “Denge,” which he published in İstanbul.
In 1965, he was sentenced to 1 year 4 months in prison for establishing a Kurdish organization.
In 1975, he was elected Principal Member of Dicipline Committee of Board of Directors of Istanbul Bar Association from Çağdaş Avukatlar Grubu (Modern Lawyers Group), winning 396 votes of members.
In 1977, he attended the International Lawyers Meeting in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
In 1978, he was elected Istanbul Representative of "İttihad-i Vatani Kürdistan“ (Union of the Kurdish Nation) which was active abroad parallel to Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
.
He was a candidate for Kars from the list of the CHP
CHP
-Healthcare:* Oporto Hospital Centre* Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh* Community Health Partnerships* Certified Health Physicist-Politics:* Christian Heritage Party * Christian Historical Party...
in the local elections held in 1979.
In 1980, he joined the TKP (Communist Party of Turkey) as a provisional member.
He was detained on 27.01.1981 on charges of disseminating communist and Kurdish propaganda and was released on 29.01.
In 1982, he joined the defense in a PKK trial that was launched in Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
. As well as, the trials in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and Diyarbakir
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
.
In the same year, he was arrested for membership of the Executive Board of the Peace Association.
He was released in November 1983. In 1984, he was acted as the lawyer of Behçet Cantürk, who was involved in drug trafficking, for only one case, and although Behçet Cantürk had another lawyer officially, Medet Serhat always thought to be his lawyer.
He was among the founding members of the “Kurdish Rights and Freedoms Foundation,” which was established in İstanbul in 1990 with the aim of establishing the Kurdish National Union, and in this respect establishing a national assembly and a Kurdish political party on a legal platform.
In 1991, he was among the lawyers who clients among the defendants of the “Peace Committee Association” trial.
He was among the persons who signed the declaration of “Call for the Democracy Assembly,” which was written during the General Assembly of the Democracy Party (DEP) held in Ankara on 18 and 19 December 1993.
He was among the lawyers who defended MPs from the defunct DEP in the trial launched against them at Ankara SSC in October 1994.
He was killed along with his driver outside his house in Erenköy, İstanbul, on 12.11.1994. His wife barely survived 14 bullet wounds, and in all her statements she could give up the details or her husband's murderer, and her attacker, but could not give up any facial details till she have seen Nurullah Tevfik Agansoy
Nurullah Tevfik Agansoy
Nurullah Tevfik Ağansoy was a Turkish mob boss, who was involved in the Susurluk scandal.His parents were Yaşar and Ayşe.Prior to 1980 Turkish coup d'etat, he was arrested by the Military Court No...
on television.
Medet Serhat's murder at 1994 instantly declared as an Extrajudicial killing, and its still unsolved. Extrajudicial killings were a tool used by Turkish Deep state
Deep state
The Deep state is alleged to be a group of influential anti-democratic coalitions within the Turkish political system, composed of high-level elements within the intelligence services , Turkish military, security, judiciary, and mafia. The notion of deep state is similar to that of a "state within...
between 1992 to 1994. Medet Serhat's murder had a huge impact of stopping it more at least more Kurdish public figures as approximately 5.000 people both Turkish and Kurdish, marched at his funeral. His colleague members from the Istanbul Bar Association attended with their courthouse robes.
His name was mentioned as an organized murder by the Deep State in Susurluk Scandal
Susurluk scandal
The Susurluk scandal was a scandal involving the close relationship between the Turkish government, the armed forces, and organized crime. It took place during the peak of the Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, in the mid-1990s...
, and now his family ask from the court to be part of victims from the Ergenekon (organization) due to the confessions made by the organization members.