Istanbul, Sept. 15, (dpa/GNA) – A Turkish court on Thursday dropped a case over a 1993 massacre of intellectuals, mostly members of the Alevi community, citing the statute of limitations, state news agency Anadolu reported.
The court said there was a 30-year time limit for similar cases. People in the courtroom protested the verdict, Anadolu added.
Three people were on trial for the July 1993 arson attack on the Madımak Hotel in the central Anatolian town of Sivas. The three defendants, two of whom were earlier convicted and sentenced to jail for murder, were on trial in absentia, Anadolu said.
A total of 33 intellectuals and two hotel workers were among the 37 killed at the Madımak Hotel. Late prominent Turkish writer Aziz Nesin narrowly escaped the attack.
GNA