CIRCULATION CODE 3. OPEN. May be circulated to general mailing lists, outside organizations, and quoted from freely in reports citing "Middle East Concern" as the source of the information.

April 2009

Greetings in the name of Jesus, our risen Lord

This Saturday, 18th April, is the second anniversary of the murders of Necati Aydin, Ugur Yuksel and Tilmann Geske at the Zirve Christian publishing house in Malatya, Eastern Turkey.

Five men, aged 19 and 20 at the time, were arrested at the scene. They have been held in custody ever since and their trial opened in November 2007. Turkish Christians have been concerned throughout that an effective investigation be carried out into who was behind the actual perpetrators.

At the latest hearing on Monday 13th April extensive testimony was given by the retired commander of the local gendarmerie and a theology researcher. An anonymous letter, sent in January to Turkish churches and obtained by the media, claimed that the former commander had instigated the murders and commissioned the theology researcher to prepare arguments against Christian activity.

The researcher claimed that he had been answering questions raised by the former commander concerning Christian activity in the area. However, evidence was presented that showed the equivalent of ten phone calls a day for six months between them. Lawyers noted that this was an abnormally high level of contact.

During cross examination the former commander stated that Christian activity is not illegal, but he considered it to be extreme right-wing activity with political implications, and that intense police and security force interest was therefore legitimate. This commander was arrested some months ago as part of the investigation into an ultra-nationalist group (Ergenekon) which both the prosecuting lawyers and those acting on behalf the two widows have contend was involved in instigating the murders by motivating the accused perpetrators.

The next hearing has been scheduled for 22nd May.

No new information has been released concerning the compensation claims lodged by the two widows, Semse and Suzanne, in September. Recall that these claims cite various government ministries as having (i) failed to detect the plot and prevent the murders, and (ii) created a culture conducive to violence against Christians because religious minorities are presented as "an internal threat, a danger and an enemy". Turkish Christians note that the former commander's comments are consistent with the second part of this citation.

Turkish Christians request our continued prayers that: a. Semse and Suzanne and their five children will know the presence and enabling of Jesus throughout the trial process and especially during this anniversary period

b. Wider family members and close friends of all three victims will know the comforting presence of Jesus during this anniversary period whether they follow him or not

c. This case, together with the compensation claim cases, will be instrumental in improving religious tolerance throughout Turkey

d. Justice will be done concerning the perpetrators, and that those behind them will be identified and dealt with in a just manner

e. Semse and Suzanne's legal team will know the Spirit's guiding and equipping

f. There would be renewed international attention towards this trial

g. The five perpetrators would feel a true and deep conviction about what they have done, and understand that their wrong-doing is not too great for Christ's redemption

h. The judges, other officials, lawyers and journalists involved will hear the gospel of Jesus, feel the Spirit's conviction of sin and be drawn to the Father's love, forgiveness and acceptance