Powered By Blogger

Friday, March 4, 2016

Two Jailed Over Drowned Toddler Alan Kurdi

Two Syrians have been jailed by a Turkish court over the drowning of toddler Alan Kurdi in September last year.
The two smugglers have been sentenced to four years and two months each, following the death of the three-year-old - whose name was initially reported as Aylan - and four other people when their ship capsized as they fled from Syria.
A court convicted Muwafaka Alabash and Asem Alfrhad of human trafficking, but acquitted them of the charge of causing the deaths through deliberate negligence.
Had the two smugglers been convicted of the second charge, they would have faced up to 35 years in prison.
Abdullah Kurdi, 40, father of Syrian boys Aylan, three, and Galip, five
Alan's brother, Galip, and mother, Rihan, were among the five victims who died - but it was the photograph of Alan's lifeless body washed up on the beach that shocked the world.
The boy's father, Abdullah, survived and has returned to Syria.
Their boat went down on an ill-fated journey from Bodrum to the Greek island of Kos.
The family had been fleeing Syria, which has suffered for more than four years under a civil war leaving around 250,000 dead.
They were hoping to eventually reach Canada to live with family there.
Trials in Turkey are usually very lengthy, but the verdict in this case arrived just a month after it opened.
Next week a summit takes place between Turkey and the European Union to discuss the migrant crisis.
Turkey is under pressure to reduce the flow of migrants to Europe and to combat smuggling rings.

No comments:

Post a Comment