Deutsche Welle Germany
May 7, 2013 Tuesday 5:41 PM EST
Turkey’s media has a watchful eye on NSU trial
May 07, 2013
Turkish media closely watched the opening of the NSU trial in Munich
on Monday. Newspapers describe the feelings of the victims’ families
and the main defendant’s attitude in court. Beate Zschäpe’s appearance
in room A 101 of the Munich court on Monday was the main topic in many
Turkish newspapers a day later.
“Nazi-bride in a Hitler pose,” the paper Habertürk headlined, showing
a photo of Zschäpe with folded arms next to an image of Adolf Hitler
in a similar pose.
Other Turkish papers also commented on the main defendant’s attitude
on the first day of the trial. On its front page, Hürriyet calls
Zschäpe an “impudent Nazi”, emphasizing that the 38-year-old turned
her back on the court and the relatives of the eight Turkish NSU
victims. The day in court, the paper continues, was a stage for the
defendant’s “show.”
Air of defiance
The papers report Zschäpe’s appearance in the courtroom deeply
affected the relatives of the NSU victims present for the trial. Sabah
and other papers quote Dilek Özcan, the daughter of Ismail Yasar –
shot dead in 2006 in Nuremberg – as saying she “shivered when she saw
Zschäpe and felt deep hatred.” A tearful Özcan is reported to have
added she was certain Zschäpe would get her just punishment.
Other relatives focused on the many open questions in the trial. Enver
Simsek’s daughter Semiya says she wanted to know why neo-Nazis singled
out her father of all people as a victim. According to the Vatan
daily, she says her trust in the Federal Republic of Germany has been
destroyed by the murders.
Offended by a crucifix
The Turkish media are particularly interested in the court’s shedding
light on the bungled investigation. The Milliyet daily terms the trial
“Germany’s Nazi check.” However, even ahead of the trial, commentators
doubted the German judiciary was up to the task. Speaking to Turkish
reporters before proceedings began in Munich, Ayhan Sefer Üstün,
chairman of the human rights committee in the Turkish parliament,
expressed hopes for a just verdict, despite the defense’s obvious
delaying tactics. “That is what we expect and we will continue to keep
a close eye on developments,” he said.
Not all Turkish observers were as open-minded, however. Mahmut Tanal
of the opposition CHP party and a member in Üstün’s delegation, called
for the removal of a crucifix from the courtroom. He argued the
Christian symbol is a “threat” to all non-Christians that contradicts
the principles of a secular constitutional state.
Anti-democratic forces
The court’s upcoming assessment reminds some Turkish observers of the
situation in their country. The Star newspaper compares the NSU trial
with proceedings against the nationalist killer of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink. Zschäpe, the prime suspect in the German case,
presented herself with as much defiance as Dink’s murderer, Ogün
Samast – who, according to Dink’s lawyers, had willing supporters from
within the Turkish state.
Erdal Safak, chief editor of Sabah – the Turkish paper whose German
subsidiary successfully complained to Germany’s highest court about
the allocation of seats for foreign media at the trial – also draws a
comparison with Turkey.
The Munich trial is about Germany’s “deep state,” Safak says,
referring to the Turkish term for an interdependence of rightwing
forces in the state and violent criminals.
The Turkish government regards members of the alleged
ultra-nationalist underground network Ergenekon, currently on trial in
Turkey, as representatives of the “deep state” that planned to seize
power from elected politicians. That is why Turkish organizations must
continue to keep a close eye on the NSU trial, Safak says: after all,
the “German Ergenekon” is on trial in Munich.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
