The legal team also asked the court to pursue other implications in the confessions which have not been investigated by the public prosecutor. The confessions include allusions to links between the defendants and members of various nationalist organisations.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide's National Director, Stuart Windsor, said: "Unless the Turkish Government takes proactive steps to end the prejudice against Christians in the country, we fear we will witness more attacks on non-Muslims. This case is seen as a landmark to assess Turkey's commitment to religious tolerance."
A man associated with the defendants sent a letter of confession to Turkish churches after the murders, in which he indicated that the attack was initiated by a university lecturer and members of the Gendarme. This letter was also not investigated by the public prosecutor.
Mr Windsor said: "The court must pursue all aspects of the investigation and identify and punish the masterminds and the perpetrators of this attack. Only then will justice truly be served in this case and a clear message sent out that religiously motivated attacks will not be tolerated."
The wives of the victims, Suzanne Geske and Semsa Aydin, read out personal statements in the court, emphasising their loyalty to Turkey, and asked the court to investigate who masterminded the attack.
Semsa referred to the emotional condition of her children, one of which asked whether or not they too would be killed because they are Christians.
The court has adjourned until 14 January 2008, after the defence team argued they had not had adequate time to prepare.
Following the hearing, Orhan Kemal Cengiz, the legal representative for the families and for the Alliance of Protestant Churches in Turkey, told the press that accusations made in the media against members of his legal team have put the lawyers at risk.
