Indicted Husband Claims "Loss of Memory"

The second hearing of the trial related to the murder of Şefika Etik was held before the Manisa 2^nd High Criminal Court on Wednesday (21 March). Etik was killed by her husband in the beginning of October 2011. Her case made the headlines when the Habertürk newspaper published a photograph of the back of her body with the knife clearly visible on 7 October.

The court board changed for the second hearing of the case. The court president rejected the request for joint plaintiff status made by the Purple Roof Women Shelter Foundation reasoning that "there was no need for the joint plaintiff status since the trial is being followed by the family"

The family of Şefika Etik demanded to hear two witnesses regarding their claim that she had been exposed to violence continuously. The court replied, "Due to her complaints made before she was accommodated in a women's shelter it is understood anyways that she was exposed to violence. There is no need to hear a witness on this topic". Thus, the request was dismissed.

The defendant had demanded to hear four witnesses. The court president rejected this demand. The court board decided unanimously to hear one of these witnesses.

At the first hearing, the indicted husband had stated that he killed Şefika Etik because "she verbally insulted his manliness". At the Wednesday hearing, he claimed, "She told me that she had deceived me with another man. That's why I killed her". He explained the contradiction in his statements by putting forward a loss of memory caused by the medical treatment he received because he burned his feet in the course of the murder.

The court submitted the file to the prosecutor to prepare the final plea.

The next hearing was set for 16 April.

"Everybody who knew her witnessed the violence"

Lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu evaluated the trial for bianet.

"The defendant put up a certain scenario saying 'The women deceived me. I killed her as a matter of 'honour'. Therefore, a mitigation of punishment based on unjust provocation should be applied'."

"Şefika's older sister and the son of her uncle came to court to give their statements. We had the chance to talk to them (outside the courtroom) and they told us that Şefika married at the age of 14. We learned that she was treated violently for the first time one month after the wedding. Her whole marriage went that way. We got to know that everybody who knew her witnessed the violence she was exposed to. She was pregnant one year ago but suffered a miscarriage because her husband beat her that badly. She lived a very unhappy life".

"In fact, today we witnessed once more the same woman story we are hearing every time. We are very sad. I believe that the court will decide for an aggravated life sentence for this atrocious killing but that will not bring Şefika back". (ÇT/VK)