Police department attacker gets life sentence and 168 years of jail time

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

A suspect, who staged an attack at an Istanbul police station and had previously shot a police officer, was sentenced to aggravated life sentence for “attempting to change the constitutional order,” and more than 168 years on multiple charges linked to the incidents. 

Istanbul’s 1st Court of Serious Crimes ruled for the punishment of Servet Göçmen, who was standing trial for two incidents that occurred in 2012: taking part in a bombing attack on a district police department in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district and wounding a police officer by shooting him.  The court gave him an aggravated life sentence, plus a total of 168 years and nine months in prison. 

Göçmen, who is alleged to be a member of the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), attacked the Sarıyer District Police Department on June 12, 2012 with bombs and guns, together with a fellow member of the same terror organization, Erdal Dalgıç, who was wounded during the attack and succumbed to his injuries in the hospital while Göçmen fled the scene. Later, on June 15, 2012, Göçmen shot and wounded police officer Muhammet Sabri Yiğit in Istanbul’s Avcılar district when Yiğit was getting in his car. 

Göçmen was caught on June 28, 2012, when police officers found his behaviors suspicious after asking for his ID. He allegedly shot at police officers in an attempt to escape the scene. 

Göçmen was proven guilty for “attempting to change the constitutional order,” and was punished with an aggravated life sentence. 

Additionally, he was sentenced to a total of 168 years and nine months on charges of “intentional killing” four police officers at the bombing attack, “threatening” two of the victims, “carrying explosive material,” “damaging public property,” “damaging property,” “attempting to intentionally kill by armed assault” two police officers, “wounding” one victim, “resisting,” “opposing the law on weapons,” and “intentionally jeopardizing general security.”