bianet editor's family faces racist harassment by neighbors

Sinem Tuncel in the aftermath of the assault

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The family of bianet editor Ruken Tuncel faced a racist harassment and attack late yesterday near their home in İstanbul's Beylikdüzü district.

Tuncel herself wasn't at home during the attack. However, her sister Sinem Tuncel was assaulted, while her mother and aunt were threatened.

Sinem Tuncel, returning from a shopping trip with her mother, encountered their neighbor M.Y. at the entrance of the building. M.Y. made verbal accusations against the Kurdish family. When Sinem Tuncel refused to talk to him, M.Y. spat at her.

Upon the Tuncels calling the police, M.Y. reportedly said, "The police won't come to you. Let me call them so you can see how they come. The state is mine, the police are mine. We're from Trabzon, we'll burn you. You Alevites, you're all the same. You sell drugs, you use heroin. You attend rallies, but this won't be like going to a rally. I have a shotgun, you'll see it. I'll empty the magazine."

Assaults and threats

Then, M.Y.'s daughter A.Y. also got involved and assaulted Sinem Tuncel. A.Y. threatened Sinem Tuncel, saying, "You can't talk to my mother like that, you can't yell at my mother. I'll kill you, what value does your life have?"

As A.Y. was about to fetch a gun, neighbors intervened. As people came out of the building, A.Y. continued her threats, claiming the Tuncel family were "terrorists," while her mother M.Y. used hateful language, calling them "Armenian bastards" and "terrorists."

When A.Y. continued her threats, saying she had a shotgun, neighbors stepped in, preventing her from going upstairs.

A.Y. returned and punched Sinem Tuncel in the jaw. M.Y. grabbed a stick and tried to hit Sinem and Ruken Tuncel's aunt. Sinem Tuncel intervened, and she was the one injured in the process.

At the time of the incident, a grocery store employee who was with the family and neighbors witnessed the attack. The assault came to an end when emergency medical teams arrived. Sinem Tuncel sought medical treatment and received a medical report for her injuries.

Later, the family went to the police station to give their statements and filed a complaint against M.Y. and A.Y. They also lodged a complaint against another neighbor, E.Y.Y., for "instigation and targeting." The family's lawyer, Destina Yıldız, was also preset at the police station.

Subsequently, the Tuncel family obtained a restraining order against M.Y. and A.Y., prohibiting them from approaching the family. (HA/VK)