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Turkey's highest court has ruled that a man can have a reduced sentence for murdering a woman if she provoked him by refusing to have sex.
The case took place in Izmir, Turkey, where Serkan Dindar killed Ceyda Yüksel in his apartment in the Barbaros neighbourhood on 20th August 2020.
The two had met online and briefly exchanges messages before going to a bar on the night of the incident.
Afterwards, they headed to Dindar's home, and were witnessed by neighbours arguing in the street.
A security video reviewed by investigators and subsequently the court reportedly showed Dindar trying to hug and kiss Ceyda, who pulled away and distanced herself.
The footage also showed that Dindar was struggling to stand and that there was an argument between them, which continued inside his ground-floor flat.
As the row continued, Dindar grabbed Ceyda and slammed her against the door with such force that the glass of the living room door shattered.
He then forced her head and chest into the shards of the doorway and then violently pulled her back, apparently ripping off her right arm.
Police arrived at about 1:00am after neighbours reported sounds of glass breaking and shouting.
They found Ceyda dead inside the apartment.
Following an autopsy, she was buried in Istanbul.
Dindar, a welder with prior convictions for wounding and endangering traffic, was arrested after being found intoxicated at the scene.
He told officers he had no memory of the incident.
Izmir prosecutors filed charges of premeditated murder seeking a life sentence.
The Izmir 6th Criminal Court sentenced Dindar to life but then applied an "unjust provocation" reduction, cutting the penalty to 18 years.
The court reasoned that Dindar had been provoked after Ceyda refused his demand for sex and took into account his state of grief and anger.
The Supreme Court of Appeals then approved the reduced sentence in a decision announced on 25th August.
But the Ministry of Family and Social Services has now objected to the ruling under the instructions of Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas.
It asked the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court to send the case to the General Assembly of Criminal Chambers for review.
The case has ignited outrage, with activists and legal experts warning that the ruling could set a dangerous precedent.
They say it reflects systemic issues in Turkey’s judicial handling of femicide.
The "haksiz tahrik" provision, criticised for its vague application, is often used to lessen penalties in gender-based violence cases.
Turkey’s 2021 withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention has further fueled concerns about impunity for violence against women.
Ceyda's mother, Filiz Demiral, said she had been devastated to see the reduced sentence approved but was encouraged by the Ministry’s objection.
She said: "I was not able to mourn my daughter. After her death, I immediately launched a legal battle. If Ceyda were alive, she would have wanted this.
"The approval of the reduced sentence given to the defendant by the Court of Cassation devastated me.
"However, the appeal made upon the Minister's instruction has made me very happy as a mother.
"I thank her as both a woman and a mother. Whatever the decision may be, Ceyda will not come back.
"But the sentence that will be handed down to the defendant will bring at least some relief to my heart.
"The ruling is very important so that no more women are taken from life, and no more lives are lost."
(Mike Leidig / newsX)
Byline Journalist: Mike Leidig
Byline Sub editor: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Spotter: Mike Leidig
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Mike Leidig
Byline Copychecker: Angela Trajkovska
Byline Illustrator: Angela Trajkovska
Byline News Editor: Simona Kitanovska
Geography: Izmir
Subject: Legal, Crime, Court reports, Murder, Femicide, Sex
T4 Editor Story Rating: 8
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 7
T4 Total rating: 7.5
