Arrested suspects to be brought to trial in Soma

2015-04-14 08:45:02

MANISA (DİHA) - The trial of 45 people, 8 of them in custody, charged with responsibility for the mine disaster in Soma which resulted in the deaths of 301 miners, has been adjourned until 15 April after protests from widows of the miners.

The first hearing took place today in the Akhisar Serious Criminal Court of 45 accused in last year’s Soma mine disaster. A widow of a miner stood up in court and demanded that the 8 accused who are in custody be brought to the court, saying: “We want a fair trial.”

Others in the court protested on seeing the accused who are in custody on video link, saying: "They are sitting there in their suits, but they are not here. We want to call them to account.” When there was shouting in the court, the trial adjourned.

The bench subsequently adjourned the hearing until Wednesday 15 April, saying it would write to the Ministry of Justice, asking for the accused to be brought to court.

(nt)