The family of bianet editor Ruken Tuncel has once again become the target of a violent attack in their home in Beylikdüzü, İstanbul. The incident marks the second assault on the Tuncel family from their neighbors in a year.
Ruken Tuncel was not present at the scene but her sisters Sinem and Zelal and her mother Fethiye were attacked and eventually hospitalized.
The altercation began at the entrance of their apartment building when Asiye Y., a neighbor, accused Zelal Tuncel of bumping into her. The situation quickly escalated as Y., along with her mother Makbule Y. and another relative, Orhan Y., physically attacked Zelal Tuncel and Sinem Tuncel. Their mother was also assaulted when she attempted to intervene.
Hate speech allegations
The Tuncel family reported being subjected to hate speech during the attack, with the assailants allegedly shouting, "These are Armenians, these are terrorists," and issuing death threats.
This is the second time the family has faced such abuse, having previously been attacked by the same neighbors in August 2023.
Ruken Tuncel's brother, Baran Tuncel, was also attacked by the same individuals at Beylikdüzü State Hospital, where the family had gone to obtain medical reports documenting their injuries.
Following the attack, the Tuncel family, accompanied by their lawyer Halil Yılmaz, filed a formal complaint against the assailants at the Beylikdüzü Şehit Orhan Şahin Police Station.
How the indecent unfolded
The incident unfolded when Zelal Tuncel was leaving her home in the evening. She encountered Asiye Y. and her mother, Makbule Y., at the apartment entrance, where Makbule accused Zelal of bumping into her.
Although Asiye Y. initially downplayed the incident, tensions flared when Zelal dismissed the accusation and continued on her way. Asiye reportedly shouted, "Who do you think you are? Don’t be disrespectful to my mother, or I’ll kill you."
The situation intensified when Sinem Tuncel, alerted by the noise, stepped out onto the balcony. As the Y.s re-entered the apartment, Zelal heard screams and rushed back to find Sinem being assaulted. The violence escalated further when Orhan Y. joined in the attack, and Fethiye Tuncel, who had come out to help her daughters, was also beaten.
Racist slurs
Neighbors eventually intervened, and the police were called, bringing an end to the assault. The Y. family reportedly used racial slurs during the attack, calling the Tuncels "Armenian bastards," "Armenian whores," and threatening to kill them. They also labeled the Tuncels as "traitors" and "terrorists," questioning their right to live in the area.
Two other members of the Y. family, Aslan and Şener Y., were also present at the scene. The Tuncel family obtained medical reports and pressed charges against their attackers.
‘Clearly a racist attack’
In a statement regarding the incident, Ruken Tuncel recalled the previous attack on her family in August 2023. She criticized the lifting of the previous restraining order against the Y.s and the closure of the case by the prosecutor’s office, saying, "Last year, when they attacked us, they said, ‘The state is ours.’
“Emboldened by impunity, they attacked again, this time in greater numbers. It’s important to note that we have no relationship with these individuals, so there was no prior conflict. What was said during the attack clearly shows that this was a racist assault."
Background
The Tuncel family was first attacked by their neighbors on August 10, 2023. During that incident, Makbule and Asiye Y. issued death threats and assaulted Sinem Tuncel.
When the police were called, Makbule Y. reportedly said, "The police won’t come for you. Let me call them, and you’ll see how they come. The state is mine, the police are mine. We are from Trabzon; we’ll burn you alive. You Alevis are involved in everything bad. You sell drugs, use heroin. You go to protests, but this isn’t like that. I have a shotgun; you’ll see what it’s like."
Asiye Y. also threatened Sinem, saying, "I’ll kill you. What’s your life worth? You won’t survive."
Both Makbule and Asiye Y. reportedly used hate speech, calling the Tuncels "Armenians" and "terrorists." Sinem Tuncel filed a complaint and obtained a medical report documenting her injuries.
Following the first attack, the police issued a protective order against Makbule and Asiye Y., preventing them from approaching the Tuncels. However, the Büyükçekmece 1st Family Court lifted the protective order on September 4, 2023, and the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office closed the case in December 2023. (HA/VK)