Feminicide of Pınar Gültekin | Mertcan A. arrested again

* Photo and news: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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The judgeship has ruled for the arrest of defendant Mertcan A. over the femincide of university student Pınar Gültekin in Muğla.

At the 10th hearing held by the Muğla 3rd High Criminal Court on February 14, Gültekin family's lawyer Rezan Epözdemir alleged that arrested perpetrator Cemal Metin A.'s brother Mertcan A., who was released pending trial, had acted as an accomplice in the act of murder and filed a criminal complaint against him by applying to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

At the hearing, the court board ruled that the file to be prepared by the Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor's Office should be awaited and the judicial control measures imposed on Mertcan A. should remain in effect.

Mertcan A. came to the Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and gave his statement for nearly 3 hours. After his statement was taken, A. was referred to the criminal judgeship of peace. A. has been arrested.

What happened?

Pınar Gültekin (27), a student of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University in the Mediterranean region, was found dead on July 21, 2020, five days after she had gone missing. First Cemal Metin A., then his brother Mertcan A. were arrested as part of the investigation into her death.

A lawsuit has been filed against Cemal Metin A. on charge of "killing with monstrous feeling or by tormenting" and against Mertcan A. for "destroying, hiding or tampering with criminal evidence."

While Cemal Metin A. now faces aggravated life sentence on the offense charged, his brother faces up to 5 years in prison.

Mertcan A. was released at his third hearing on February 15, 2021. Both the prosecutor's office and the attorney of the Gültekin family appealed against the defendant's release a day later. (EMK/SD)