22.02.2025 11:30
Mehmet Esen, whose 19-year-old son Yaşar Dede Esen was killed in a traffic accident caused by Emir S., who hit him with his car while he was working as a motorcycle courier in Antalya, reacted to Emir S.'s release without a burial. He said, "I want justice to be served. The driver should face the consequences. I don't want him walking around freely."
The incident occurred on February 17 at around 02:00 in the Fevzi Çakmak neighborhood of the Kepez district. The car with license plate 07 AIY 322, driven by Emir S., was traveling towards Alparslan Türkeş Boulevard when it collided with the motorcycle courier Yaşar Dede Esen, who was turning right from a side road on his motorcycle with license plate 07 ALG 134. Esen, who was severely injured, was taken to the hospital but could not be saved. The driver Emir S., who was detained after the accident, was released by the court with judicial control conditions.
"RELEASED WITHOUT 12 HOURS PASSING"
Father Mehmet Esen stated, "I was not in Turkey at the time of the incident. I was on a business trip abroad. I was contacted. I immediately informed my family and relatives. My son had an accident while working as a courier. I learned the details of the accident when I returned. My son passed away in the hospital. Reports were made at the accident scene. The driver who hit my son was released without 12 hours passing. While I am in pain, the person responsible for my son's death is set free. He had dreams. He was studying at the Faculty of Agriculture," he said.
"THE REPORT STATED THERE WAS NO CAMERA RECORD"
Mehmet Esen claimed that there were discrepancies between the report prepared by the traffic police and the way the accident occurred, saying, "The driver is brought before justice, while the prosecutor requests his arrest, the judge releases him saying 'evidence has been collected.' The report states that there is no camera recording. We conducted an investigation at the scene and accessed the camera footage. If we could access the camera footage, how could the police not? The report was prepared based on the statement of the person who hit my son. My son was wearing a helmet. However, it was not returned to us. The report states 'helmet not identified.' There are images showing that his helmet was there. The paramedics removed his helmet from his head," he said.
"I BURIED HIM WITH HIS DREAMS"
Father Esen, who wants the released driver to be arrested, said, "Even a person who hits a dog stays in jail for days, while the person who played with my son's dreams is set free. I want justice to be served. I want all evidence to be collected and re-examined by an expert. The driver should serve his sentence. I do not want him to walk around freely. I am already dead. I buried my son with his dreams. The driver is released with false statements. Is it that easy to take a life?" he said.
"NOT PROPERLY INVESTIGATED"
The family's lawyer, Adem Can Özcan, stated, "There are many deficiencies regarding the incident. Actions were taken without proper investigation. The incident occurred around 02:00 at night. The police teams that arrived at the scene prepared a report without sufficient examination. In this report, the sloped road was depicted as flat. It was stated that the camera footage could not be accessed. Reports were prepared immediately without sufficient investigation at night, and the incident was covered up," he claimed.
THE FAMILY APPEALED THE DECISION
Lawyer Özcan stated that they appealed the release of the driver under judicial control, saying, "The suspect can change and destroy this evidence after being released. He can go and hide the camera footage. Everyone is surprised by this decision. A young person dies, and the other party is released before he is even buried. It is very difficult to explain this to the family. We have made the necessary appeals. The prosecutor's office also found our appeals justified. The file has been sent to a higher court for the suspect to be re-evaluated and arrested. We are waiting for the outcome of the case," he said.