Fourth Mavi Marmara hearing underway

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Hürriyet Photo

The fourth hearing of the Mavi Marmara raid against senior former Israeli soldiers continued today at an Istanbul court.

Former Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi, former Navy Chief Eliezer Marom, former Military Intelligence Head Amos Yadlin and former Air Force Intelligence Chief Avishai Levy are the Israelis being tried in absentia.

A lawyer, representing some of the victims, Gülden Sönmez, said the trial started with the hearing of victims as well as some of the crew members. Sönmez said that victims explained the way the ship was forcefully dragged to Ashdod Port and how they were treated in prison and in the airport.

“Though there will be no outcome from this trial, Israel won’t act in comfort in future. At least there will be more pressure,” a victim, İbrahim Güleryüz, told reporters before the trial started. The case includes citizens from 37 countries. According to the indictment, 450 people are demanding compensation from the four former generals.

The 144-page indictment is seeking multiple life sentences totaling over 18,000 years for each of the defendants. Israeli forces killed nine Turkish activists aboard the Mavi Marmara aid flotilla on May 31, 2010. Turkey has repeatedly demanded that Israel issue an apology, pay compensation for the deaths and lift the embargo on Gaza.