Defendant Given Aggravated life Sentence in Feminicide Case

Photo: Ekmek ve Gül

Click to read the article in Turkish

The final hearing of the murder of Ecem Balcı has been held at the Kocaeli 7th Heavy Penal Court. Süleyman Kara was under trial for "willful murder," and the other defendants were for spoiling evidence.

While Kara attended the hearing via teleconference, Gökhan Balcı, the father of Ecem Balcı, and the defendants who have not been under arrest were present at the courtroom.

Attorney Aslı Şen stated that they oppose the opinion as to the accusations and that the murder was premeditated, requesting a maximum sentence.

The chairperson of the Kocaeli Bar Association, Bahar Candemir Gültekin, said, " It is proven that the defendants committed the charged offense. It is clear that the young girl was brutally killed, her right to life being taken away from her. We want the sentence for all the defendants to be determined by moving away from the lower limit and without any reduction."

Gökhan Balcı also spoke at the hearing: "A child is not raised easily. They killed a 17-year-old, a strong child who survived a serious disease, without pity. I demand the heavies punishment for them."

The court sentenced Kara to aggravated life imprisonment for wilful murder and other defendants to six months in prison.

Speaking after the ruling, Balcı said, "We have been asking for justice for my daughter for 22 months, we strived for it. I hope my daughter rests in peace in her grave."

What happened?

Ecem Balcı went missing on January 5, 2018, in Gölcük, Kocaeli, where she lived. Nine days later, her mother, Esra Cömert, died after committing suicide by jumping in the sea from rocks in Kandıra, Kocaeli. Her body was found after a two-day search.

After Balcı disappeared, Süleyman Kara, who was already in jail for smuggling historical artifacts, gave a statement, confessing he killed Balcı. Balcı's body was found in woods near Ayvazpınar village in Gölcük on February 15, after Kara revealed the place where he buried Balcı's body to the authorities.

In the first hearing that was held on September 19, nine months after the murder, Kara denied he murdered Balcı, claiming that he confessed the murder "under pressure by the police."

The other defendants also denied any connection with the murder. (EMK/VK)