Woman acquitted in self-defense case after years of struggle

Click to read the article in Turkish

Yasemin Çakal, who had killed her abusive husband in an act of self-defense, has been acquitted in a retrial with a ruling that no sentence is necessary.

Çakal, who was imprisoned after the incident in 2014, was released in 2017 and sought asylum in Switzerland, where she currently resides in a refugee camp.

Regarding the decision, Çakal told bianet, "Justice has been served, albeit partially. I am very happy about this. Everything is going well. I thank all the women's organizations. I extend my gratitude to the women friends, lawyers, and civil society organizations who have been fighting alongside me for nine years.

"Freedom is contagious. All women who have been tried for exercising their right to self-defense should be set free. Jin, jiyan, azadi."

Following the recent decision by the 1st Penal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice, lawyer Perihan Meşeli commented, "The decision is promising from a women's perspective. We wanted Yasemin to be acquitted because there was a legitimate act of self-defense. However, it seems that the court did not reach this decision based on the four knife wounds."

She added, "I believe this decision will affect other similar cases positively. It is a positive decision, but as I mentioned, she should have been acquitted."

What happened?

Yasemin Çakal killed her husband, Özkan Kaymaklı, on July 10, 2014, after enduring systematic violence.

Prior to the incident, Çakal had filed multiple complaints with the police, sought help from her family, and stayed at a women's shelter for a while.

The incident unfolded when her husband was attempting to strangle her with a belt and trapping their child with his elbow, Çakal defended herself using a knife, resulting in his death.

She was put in prison after the killing.

On July 4, 2017, the Bakırköy 13th Heavy Penal Court ruled that there was no need for a sentence, stating, "Considering that the act was committed under the influence of excitement, fear, and panic that could be excused in self-defense, there is no need for a sentence." Following her release, Çakal continued to receive threats, leading her to seek asylum in Switzerland.

While feminist lawyers filed an appeal demanding her acquittal, her husband's family also appealed the decision, demanding a sentence for her. The 1st Penal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice in 2018 overturned the previous decision and sentenced Çakal to 15 years in prison.

However, after an appeal by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation, the Court of Cassation overturned the decision, calling for a retrial. (EMK/VK)