Reyhanlı Attack Case Verdict: 3 Sentenced to 53 Life Terms Each

A Turkish court has delivered a significant verdict in the case of the 2013 Reyhanlı bombing, which claimed the lives of 53 people and injured nearly 300. Three defendants – Memet Gezer, Temir Dükancı, and Cengiz Sertel – were each sentenced to 53 counts of aggravated life imprisonment, along with a cumulative sentence of 3,921 years. The decision was announced during a hearing in Ankara.

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We lost 53 martyrs in the city center of Reyhanlı on May 11. There were nearly 300 injured. As a result of the great sacrifice of our state immediately after the explosion, the terrorists were caught red-handed.

Families of the victims, who closely followed the proceedings, expressed their joy and satisfaction with the court's ruling. Ahmet Tuna, head of the Reyhanlı 11 May Martyrs Association and a father who lost his son Oğulcan Tuna in the attack, thanked the state and security forces for their dedication in apprehending the terrorists. "We both cried and laughed and cheered yesterday. We are very happy. A great decision for us," he stated, adding that while the sentence brings some solace, the capture of the two remaining fugitives, including the alleged mastermind Mihraç Ural, would bring further peace to the victims' families.

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We both cried and laughed and cheered yesterday. We are very happy. A great decision for us, really.

Medine Erdemci, whose 28-year-old son Halil Erdemci was killed, shared her emotional experience during the trial. "I was so excited, wondering what the decision would be. Thankfully, the decision came out, and they were sentenced to 53 counts of aggravated life imprisonment," she said. She expressed that the sentence provided a measure of relief, stating, "At least a little bit of water was sprinkled on our hearts." Similarly, Saraç Cüneydioğlu, who lost his son Mehmet Koray Cüneydioğlu, conveyed that while the pain remains, justice has been served for those apprehended. He reiterated the hope for the capture of Mihraç Ural, whom he identified as the main instigator of the bombing, believing his arrest would be a significant step towards closure.

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My son was 28 years old. Yesterday, my hands and feet were trembling in the courtroom. I couldn't stay still out of curiosity about the decision.