Turkey’s Court of Cassation has overturned life sentences handed down to seven defendants in the case concerning the 2016 İstanbul Atatürk Airport suicide bombing, which left 45 people killed and 236 others wounded.
The decision issued by the 3rd Penal Chamber of the top appeals court led to the release of six of the defendants convicted by the lower court, citing time served.
The decision voided the 46 aggravated life sentences imposed on six defendants, as well as the 12-year prison sentence of another, for alleged connections to the attack carried out by members of the ISIS.
The defendants, convicted in 2018 by the 13th İstanbul Heavy Penal Court for "violating the constitution" and "premeditated murder," had appealed their convictions.
Justification for the reversal
Although the court has not yet disclosed its detailed reasoning, leaked reports suggest that the decision was based on a lack of evidence directly linking the defendants to the attackers who carried out the suicide bombings.
The Court of Cassation ruled that the defendants should instead be convicted of “membership in a terrorist organization” and released due to time already served exceeding the likely sentence for such charges.
Among those released are Rıza C., Levent U., Halil D., Ahmet D., and Eyüp D., all previously sentenced to 46 aggravated life terms, and Seyhun Ali A., who was serving a 12-year term for alleged ISIS membership.
However, the court upheld the detention of one defendant, an Algerian national, while ordering a retrial in his case.
The 2016 attack
On June 28, 2016, three ISIS attackers stormed Istanbul Atatürk Airport with long-barreled firearms and explosive vests. After opening fire on bystanders and security personnel, the attackers detonated their bombs when confronted by police.
The attack killed 45 people and injured 236. Authorities later alleged that the assault was orchestrated by ISIS commander Akhmed Chatayev, who was killed in a Georgian security operation in 2017.
Criticism from opposition
The decision has drawn criticism, including from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Speaking during a parliamentary session, CHP Deputy Chair Murat Emir described the release orders as a “legal scandal.”
“Today, we learned that the Court of Cassation’s 3rd Penal Chamber has released individuals convicted in connection with the massacre at Atatürk Airport, where 45 of our citizens were brutally murdered. If this is true, it is nothing short of a judicial outrage,” Emir said, calling for clarification from the judiciary.
He also questioned whether the ruling might be linked to ongoing discussions between Turkey and armed opposition groups in Syria, a claim that remains speculative.
“This is unacceptable,” Emir stated. “This decision amounts to leniency toward groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and al-Nusra, and it demands an immediate explanation.”
Communications Directorate responds
In response to public backlash, Turkey’s Presidential Communications Directorate issued a statement asserting that the released defendants were not directly involved in the attack.
"The reports suggesting that the perpetrators of the Atatürk Airport massacre have been released are misleading," the statement said. “The six defendants had been detained for eight years and were not the attackers themselves. They were tried on charges such as terrorist group membership and financing.”
The Directorate claimed that the release decision was based on the duration of pre-trial detention exceeding the likely sentences for the charges they faced.
Journalist disputes official claims
Investigative journalist Alican Uludağ, who has closely followed the case, rejected the government’s statement, calling it disinformation.
“My report is entirely accurate,” Uludağ said, accusing the Directorate of misleading the public. He noted that five of the released defendants were originally sentenced to aggravated life terms for direct involvement in the attack.
Uludağ pointed to official Anadolu Agency reports as evidence, which detailed the convictions of the released individuals for aiding the massacre. “These five individuals were convicted of joint responsibility for the deaths of 45 people and violating the constitution,” he said. (AEK/VK)
