A court in Diyarbakır has sentenced two men, identified as A.A. and İ.U., to aggravated life imprisonment for the murder of Sudenaz U., a trans woman killed in 2024. The verdict was handed down on charges of "deliberate killing."
Following the hearing, lawyer Okan Altekin emphasized the role of audio recordings in the outcome of the case. He said the suspects had recorded their own conversations, believing they would not face consequences for their actions. These recordings were later submitted to the court as evidence.
The defense lawyers requested a sentence reduction on the grounds of "unjust provocation," but the court rejected the request.
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"The audio recordings clearly show the suspects protecting one another," Altekin said. "The court sentenced both of them to aggravated life imprisonment for the deliberate killing of a woman."
He added that both defendants were also convicted of attempted robbery. “This ruling is significant in the fight against violence targeting trans women. The suspects also received sentences for attempted robbery,” he said.
The Diyarbakır Bar Association’s Women’s Rights Center and the LGBTI+ Rights Commission followed and supported the legal process throughout the trial.
Background
Two men attacked two trans women with knives in Diyarbakır’s Kayapınar district on Sep 14, 2024. Both women were injured and Sudenaz U. died the following day.
After receiving treatment, the other woman, G.E., gave a statement to the police, leading to the detention of suspects A.A. and İ.U.
According to G.E.'s testimony, the suspects also committed robbery during the attack by entering the women's home. (EMK/VK)
