* Photo: Socialist Women Assemblies/Feminicides Platform
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The trial of Fedai Varan, who stabbed his ex-wife Emine Bulut to death in front of their 10-year-old daughter, started today (October 9).
After the witness statements were heard, the prosecutor announced the opinion as to the accusations and demanded that Varan be given aggravated life sentence and did not demand any sentence reduction.
After the the prosecutor announced the opinion as to the accusations, the court has ruled that the arrest of Fedai Varan shall continue. The next hearing of the case will be held on October 21.
Women: We don't want to die
Women Assemblies and We will Stop Feminicides Platform (KCDP) made a statement for the press in front of Kırıkkale Courthouse shortly before the hearing started. Mustafa Damar, the father of academic Ceren Damar massacred by her student, Açelya Şengül, the daughter of massacred Fatma Şengül, and Esra Kotan, the elder sister of massacred Merve Kotan, also attended the statement for the press.
In the statement, the last words of Emine Bulut "I don't want to die" were reminded. Reading out the statement, Fidan Ataselim said,
"Our sister Emine Bulut said 'I don't want to die' in her last breath. All women in turkey live under the threat of death any moment. A human is killed by men by being deprived of his right to life, the most fundamental right. They are killed because they want to make decisions themselves.
"If a woman is subjected to violence, she wants to build a life away from violence. We side with the women who make their own decisions. Today, we want justice for Emine Bulut and all women. We are here so that murderers will not be given reduced prison sentences because they wear ties, so that they do not try to have their punishments reduced by speaking ill of deceased women, we are here so that their punishments will not be reduced due to unjust provocation or repentance".
Hearing not transferred to a larger court hall
Facing aggravated life imprisonment on charge of "premeditated murder with monstrous feeling", Fedai Varan was brought to Kırıkkale 1st Heavy Penal Court from Bolu Prison, where he is currently held.
The daughter of Emine Bulut attended the hearing in company with a pedagogue via Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS). The family of Bulut as well as several lawyers are following the hearing at the court hall. Some lawyers and women rights defenders were not allowed into the court hall on the ground that there was not enough space. Despite the insistence of lawyers, the hearing was not transferred to a larger court hall.
The court board received the requests of involvement. The board has accepted the involvement request of Kırıkkale Bar Association.
'Bulut took refuge in police station for half an hour'
Ersoy Ataç, the lawyer of Fedai Varan, stated that two hours before Bulut was murdered, she took refuge in a police station with her daughter:
"Though they were divorced, it is still a case of domestic violence. In other words, it is a case of male violence. The defendant before you killed his ex-wife in front of his child. Giving the defendant the heaviest sentence will not be a solution. Two hours before she was killed, Emine Bulut took refuge in a police station with her daughter for around half an hour, but the law enforcement officers could not protect her".
Lawyer Ersoy Aytaç also indicated that "it should be investigated whether the law enforcement officers had any negligence or not".
Defendant wanted sentence reduction
Fedai Varan used his right to remain silent. After the Presiding Judge read out the indictment, he again wanted to use his right to remain silent, indicating that he deposed on August 19.
The deposition of Fedai Varan was read out in response. It was indicated that after Varan killed Emine Bulut, he called her father Ahmet Bulut and told him, "You took my child and I have taken your daughter."
It has also been reported that defendant Varan requested reduction in the prison terms to be given to him.
'He is not my father'
Speaking in the hearing in company with a pedagogue via the SEGBİS system, the daughter of Emine Bulut said the following in brief:
"We went to the bazaar with my mom that day. We went to the Kızılkanat Business Center with my mom, she went to the masjid to perform her daily prayer. Then, that person texted 'Where are you?' and came to us. He told me, 'Let's go', I did not want to go. He strangled my mother.
"That person took me away. Then, my mom called me and said 'Let's eat something'. Then, we sat in a cafe, they talked, I ate. They made me sit at another table. We escaped with my mom, we sat at the taxi near police station. Then, we went to the police station. The director or I don't know who... He took me to another room. When they were done, my mom came to me and said, 'Let's go'.
"That person was waiting for me at the minibus stop. He gripped my mom's arm and made her get off the minibus. I got off as well. He put up his shirt and showed his knife to my mom. And my mom told me 'Go and get on the minibus, I will talk to him and come'. I said, 'I don't want to go'.
"Then, we went to the döner shop. Then, it happened. He was carrying a knife before. I didn't see it that day, but I understood it afterwards. He had a row with my mom. I was in the corner, in front of the door. He held my mom on the neck and cut her neck. I tried to prevent it. I had a bag in my hand, I threw it at him, I threw my tablet at him, but I couldn't prevent it. Then, the ambulance came. That person is not my father".
Prosecutor demanded aggravated life sentence
After the witness statements were heard, the prosecutor announced his opinion as to the accusations and has demanded that defendant Varan be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment. The prosecutor has not demanded any sentence reduction. The defendant indicated that he did not present a statement of defense as to the accusations and added that his lawyer would speak on his behalf.
The court has ruled that the arrest of defendant Fedai Varan shall continue. The next hearing of the case will be held on October 21.
What happened?Fedai Varan stabbed his ex-wife Emine Bulut to death in Kırıkkale on August 18. Their 10-year-old daughter was also with them at the time of incident. After stabbing Bulut, the ex-husband got on a taxi and fled. Coming to the scene of incident, the emergency health teams took Emine Bulut and her daughter to hospital. Bulut lost her life there. Ex-husband Varan was taken into custody in the district of Bahşılı and was arrested by the court that he was referred to. Testifying at court, he said, "After she insulted me while talking about the custody of our child, I stabbed her with the knife I brought along." Days after Emine Bulut was killed, the video featuring the murder has been shared on social media. While Emine Bulut was saying, "I don't want to die", her daughter was crying, "Mom, please don't die." The last words of Emine Bulut, her cry of "I don't want to die" turned into a surging reaction against male violence and feminicides on social media. B.Y., who captured the video with a mobile phone, was taken into custody after the incident and a legal action has been taken against him/her on charge of "unauthorized recording or transfer of voices and images in the course of an investigation or prosecution". While the Ministry of National Education announced that they would aid 10-year-old daughter of Emine Bulut in her education life and give her social and psychological support, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services indicated that they would follow her psychological and social condition during the course of the hearings. Several lawyers from around Turkey submitted requests of intervention in the trial. Fadia Varan, the perpetrator of the incident, was referred from Kırıkkale Hacılar Type F Prison to Bolu Type F Prison on August 27. Until a judgement is given as to the accusations, Enver Kılıç has been appointed as a guardian to protect and guarantee the aids granted to her. |
(EMK/SD)
