Court acquits defendant in murder case of Russian feminist activist

A court in Erzurum has acquitted N.A., the defendant accused of murdering Russian feminist and anti-war activist Anastasia Yemelyanova last year. 

The Erzurum 1st Heavy Penal Court delivered the acquittal despite the prosecutor's previous plea for a conviction. The detailed reasoning behind the verdict will be disclosed within 15 days.

During the trial, the defendant maintained his innocence. Begüm Osma, a lawyer from the "Children and Women First Association, argued that N.A. committed the murder with deliberate intent and called for the maximum sentence without any reductions.

The defense claimed there was insufficient evidence to convict N.A. However, the prosecution pointed to multiple inconsistencies in the defendant's statements and the evidence presented, including phone records and testimonies.

“Defendant changed statements multiple times”

Begüm Osma, speaking to bianet, expressed disappointment with the court's decision: "This case lasted through four sessions with three different pleas. The defendant changed his statements multiple times, initially confessing to the crime. The phone records showed suspicious activity, such as the defendant searching for a flight ticket to Istanbul on the night of the murder."

Osma criticized the court's broad interpretation of the principle "in dubio pro reo" (when in doubt, for the accused) given the compelling evidence and unresolved doubts.

Following the verdict, activist Zarife Akbulut, representing Yemelyanova's friends, voiced their frustration: "Despite the contradictory statements and suspicious evidence, the court's decision to acquit N.A. allows yet another male perpetrator to escape justice. This verdict, like many others in cases of femicide, reinforces a culture of impunity and emboldens perpetrators."

Akbulut and other activists vowed to continue their fight for justice, highlighting systemic issues within the judicial process that often fail victims of gender-based violence.

Background

The indictment by the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office detailed the events leading to Yemelyanova's death on September 21, 2023. The autopsy report indicated that she died from blood loss caused by a glass shard severing a major artery in her leg.

The prosecution highlighted inconsistencies between N.A.'s statements to the police and the prosecutor. Initially, N.A. claimed the incident was accidental, resulting from a domestic dispute. However, evidence suggested deliberate intent, with N.A. allegedly pushing Yemelyanova onto a glass table and subsequently stabbing her with a shard. (EMK/VK)