Arda Turan Faces 12 Years, 6 Months in Prison

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The indictment, which has been issued against football player Arda Turan for having battered singer Berkay Şahin and sexually harassing his wife Özlem Ada Şahin, has been accepted.

As per the indictment issued by İbrahim Bozkurt, who is the Prosecutor of İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Bureau for Protecting Family and Preventing Violence Against Women, the following charges have been brought against Turan by the İstanbul 41st Penal Court of First Instance:

"Sexual harassment", "willful injury", "shooting with a firearm in a way to cause fear, anxiety and panic" and "purchase or possession of an unregistered firearm or its bullets."

Turan has been facing 3 years and 3 months to 12 years and 6 months in prison on the aforementioned charges.

Singer Berkay Şahin has also been facing a prison sentence of 3 months to 2 years on charge of "insult".

The first hearing of the case will be held at the İstanbul 41st Penal Court of First Instance on January 30, 2019.

What happened?

- Footballer Arda Turan went with a group of his friends, including footballer Burak Yılmaz, to a nightclub in Emirgan, İstanbul.

- Singer Berkay Şahin and his wife Özlem Ada Şahin also went to the same club later in the night.

- According to the allegations, when Berkay went outside to smoke, Arda Turan approached his wife Özlem Şahin and said, "How beautiful you are; I would not miss you if I were not married."

- After hearing this, Berkay told Turan, "I will bring my wife to home and come back here. We will talk man to man." Turan responded to this statement by headbutting Berkay.

- Singer Berkay Şahin was taken to hospital by his friends. Afterwards, Turan went to the hospital with his gun and handed it over to Berkay by stating, "I did not know she was your wife. If you believe it, take it and shoot me."

- In the meanwhile, the gun fired. In the deposition that he gave later on, Turan said that the gun fired by mistake while he was putting it on his waist. (EKN/SD)

* Photograph: Anadolu Agency