Appeals court increases man's prison term for attacking trans woman Asya

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

"A person wearing a surgical mask and hoodie" carried out an acid attack on Asya, a Syrian refugee and trans woman, in İstanbul's Beyoğlu on March 9, 2021. Severely injured in her face and back and with visual impairment in both of her eyes, Asya received treatment for a long time.

Trying to kill trans woman Asya with nitric acid, the man named Emre B. was caught by the gendarmerie in Karabük province and taken into custody. He was arrested on charge of "deliberate injury".

In the ensuing trial, the male perpetrator appeared before the judge at the İstanbul 33rd Criminal Court of First Instance on October 22, 2021. Both Emre B. and his lawyers made transphobic statements of defense.

While the lawyers of the Legal Assistance Against Sexual Harassment and Rape Bureau followed the trial as Asya's lawyers, the court did not accept their request for penalizing the man on charge of "injuring with monstrous feelings", which is the aggravated form of the offense "deliberate injury". The local court sentenced Emre B. to 6 years, 27 months in prison and reduced his prison term due to "unjust provocation".

Lawyer welcomes the appeals court ruling

Asya's lawyers took the local court ruling to the appeals court. At the hearing held today (January 6), the appeals court overturned the local court ruling and sentenced Emre B. to prison at the upper limit on charge of "injuring with monstrous feelings". The appeals court has increased the prison term of the man from 6 years, 27 months to 12 years, 36 months.

Speaking to bianet about this recent court ruling, lawyer Jiyan Tosun from the Legal Assistance Against Sexual Harassment and Rape Bureau has welcomed the appeals court ruling in the following words:

"The local court did not accept our requests. In fact, there was an injury with monstrous feelings. The local court did not see it. The lawyer of the defendant alleged that 'Asya was a trans woman and the defendant learned about this later on.' In fact, they were preparing to get married and the defendant knew that Asya was a trans woman.

"It is very good news for us that the court of appeals has overturned the local court ruling. That was our request. Moreover, no reductions have been made in the prison sentence. We approve the appeals court ruling." (EMK/SD)