Emine Bulut Asked For Help from Police Before Being Murdered

* Photo: Socialist Women Assemblies/Feminicides Platform

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

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.

(EMK/SD)