Ayşe Ateş's statement before the 4th session, "I don't want any of the things I know to remain a secret."

The fourth session of the trial opened today regarding the murder of Sinan Ateş, the former General Chairman of the Old Idealist Hearths, by the hitman Eray Özyağcı in the Çukurambar neighborhood of Ankara on December 30, 2022. Ayşe Ateş, who met with all political party leaders and stated that she will follow the trial, will give her statement on the fourth day of the trial.

Starting her words by saying, "I put conscience aside. When everyone with eyes and mind watches the camera footage showing who and how Sinan was killed, we have been listening to this nonsense," Ayşe Ateş explained what happened in the camera footage.

"HE POINTS HIS GUN AT SINAN'S BODY AND FIRES"

"The hired killer comes out from behind the car. He points his gun at Sinan's body and fires. Sinan doesn't show the reflexes of a person shot in the leg, nor does he make any other move. He just falls to the ground unconsciously. While he is falling, the hired killer also shoots Selman." Ayşe Ateş, who used these words, denied the claim of the hitman Eray Özyağcı that "I shot him in the leg, Sinan Ateş was shot by his friends."

"HE SHOOTS AGAIN WHILE SINAN IS FALLING"

Ateş stated that Selman Bozkurt ran away in panic and said, "He doesn't have a gun or anything else in his hand while running away. The hired killer continues. He takes a step forward and shoots Sinan, who is falling. As he stated in his initial statements: He neutralizes Sinan and kidnaps him. When Selman returns, he encounters Sinan's lifeless body and collapses on his knees."

"I WILL TELL WITHOUT OMITTING ANY NAMES"

Ayşe Ateş said, "In my statement today, I will not tell the stories of creating cardboard heroes like the defendants did, but I will tell what Sinan experienced while he was alive, what Sinan told me, and what the villains did to us. And I will tell without omitting any names. Just like I did in my initial statement to the prosecutor at the hospital on the first day."

"THESE NAMES WON'T SAVE YOU"

Ayşe Ateş, who said, "After that day, my close friends told me, 'Ayşe, don't mention these names. They won't save you. Give the names of the lower-level people that Sinan told you. The state will reveal the others,'" drew attention with these words.

"I CONVINCED MYSELF THAT THIS DARKNESS WILL KILL ME"

Expressing her fear of dying, being killed, and leaving her children without a mother, Ateş said, "Today, I didn't risk my life. After seeing the picture presented here, on social media and TV screens, I convinced myself that this darkness, which has so much power in the judiciary, the police, the media, social media, and the underworld, will kill me whether I speak or not. That's why I don't want any of the things I know to remain a secret."

"WHILE THE EVIDENCE POINTS TO THE SAME CENTER, WHERE SHOULD I LOOK FOR MY HUSBAND'S KILLER?"

Ateş, regarding the allegations of the "FETÖ" involvement in the murder, said, "The defense lawyers claimed in the trial that this political murder was orchestrated in Pennsylvania and the scenario was written by a person named Mustafa Özcan. According to the claim, they also said that I was serving them. This is an audacity, a cunningness that has never been seen in history. While the threats, insults, and slanders directed at Sinan Ateş by the members of the Idealist Hearths and the MHP on social media before his death, and the attacks on his friends by the same centers were there, where should I look for my husband's killer?," she said.

"DON'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THIS TRIAL"

Ateş, pointing out that the killer suspects came from the same center, said, "Did CHP members threaten Sinan, did DEVA Party members attack his friends, did İYİ Party send envoys to his acquaintances, did Zafer Party send a car with a man in front of his office? Now the defense lawyers say that Mustafa Özcan is writing the script. No Pennsylvania, no whatever! What audacity, what impudence, what cunningness is this? They shouldn't get their hopes up, they shouldn't rejoice. They should know that we won't be fooled and we won't take our eyes off the killers. I want to address all politicians, artists, business people, tradesmen, retirees, housewives, and every member of this noble nation: Don't take your eyes off this trial," she called.

"IF IT IS SAID THAT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRIAL, I WILL TELL IT HERE"

Ateş concluded her words by saying, "Because if the cover-up of this political murder, which took place in the heart of Turkey in broad daylight, is successful, there will be no reason for the barrel not to turn to you, your loved ones, or your children. It should not be forgotten that every crime that goes unpunished invites new oppressions. Every crime that goes unpunished makes its perpetrator more ruthless. Finally, I want to express the following: If today, Mr. Chairman, my statement is divided and it is said that they have nothing to do with the trial, I will give my statement to our esteemed nation in front of you, dear press members."