Familiar Defense by Defendant: ‘If I was Sane, Would I Have Done All These?'

* Photo: Feminicides Platform

Click to read the article in Turkish

The first hearing of the lawsuit filed into the killing of Ceren Özdemir was held at the Ordu 1st Heavy Penal Court today (December 23).

Charged with "premediated murder with monstrous feeling", defendant Özgür Arduç is facing aggravated life imprisonment on the offence charged.

Ceren Özdemir was a junior student at Ordu University Faculty of Fine Arts. He was stabbed to death in front of her house.

Defendant faces aggravated life sentence

The first hearing of the case started with identification of the parties at the Ordu 1st Heavy Penal Court.

Currently held in Van High-Security Prison, defendant Arduç attended the hearing via Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS).

The family of Ceren Özdemir was represented at court by Ordu Bar Association Chair Haluk Murat Poyraz and dozens of attorneys with letters of authorization based on power of attorney.

Ordu Bar Chair Poyraz said, "Tens of bar association chairs and women's rights commission members also announced that they would attend the hearing. Apart from them, civil society organizations are following the hearing with their representatives. We expect a large turnout."

Women's platform members from Ordu and neighboring provinces gathered in front of the courthouse before the hearing and made a statement for the press. Women opened banners and carried the pictures of Ceren.

There are two separate indictments against defendant Özgür Arduç, who faces life imprisonment aggravated for three times for killing Ceren Özdemir and attempting to kill two police officers.

Arduç will also stand trial as part of the second indictment filed against him for injuring police officers with a knife when he was captured. This hearing will be held on February 10, 2020.

Defendant has made his defense

As reported by İleri Haber news website, defendant Özgür Arduç testified at court. In his defense, Arduç said that he was raped in Erzurum and İstanbul and added, "For that reason, I decided to do evil to everyone. I have lost my human feelings. What happens if I keep on living?"

Explaining that he decided to kill someone after leaving prison, the defendant made the following remarks in brief:

"They say that I have mental competence. If I had mental competence, would I have done all these? I intended to kill someone else before Ceren and got into the crowd. Then, I saw Ceren and followed her. I stabbed her while she was going home. I cannot convince myself outside. I cannot help it. I was going to stab anyone whom I would encounter. I encountered Ceren.

"I do not accept my testimony in Ordu. I said it angrily. I was going to kill a six-year-old child, I came across Ceren. I followed her. I said, 'I will kill her if she goes upstairs.' I stabbed her and ran away. I was also going to kill the police at the moment of capture. I cannot control myself. I want to be treated. I am not in a good condition at all. I do not have the knife with me so that I will not kill myself. I am bad because I was raped."

Indicating that he testified in rage, the defendant constantly reiterated that he wanted to have treatment.

'Report said you had criminal liability in 2006'

As for the prosecutor, he told Arduç, "I took your testimony and asked you whether you wanted to be treated or not. You said that you were contented with your current condition. You said, 'I do not want to have treatment.'

"You said that you did not go to forensic medicine before. A report dated 2006 indicated that you had criminal liability. You are speaking differently. Can you explain the reason for that?"

Arduç answered, "I said I was not afraid of Allah or the prophet. I want to undergo treatment, otherwise I will kill myself. I consulted a psychologist in closed prison. I said that I would escape when it was uncovered."

Presiding judge asked Arduç, "Why did you want to be uncovered though you know your condition? You made an application to be revealed. Then, you hid yourself in prison. Did you tell about yourself to the psychologist?"

Defendant Arduç responded, "I said that there was a murderer of my father and would kill him. My being rational has something to do with patience. I had a lawyer. What happened to her? Ms. Lawyer, I am not good, have me treated. I do not say, 'Release me'. I will commit a crime again."

The lawyer of Arduç said, "We leave it to the discretion of the court to issue a new report on his criminal liability. We do not say anything to the defense."

Next hearing in January 2020

The Presiding Judge asked the father of Ceren Özdemir whether the defendant could have a relationship with her daughter.

The father answered that they did not know Arduç by any means. Ordu Bar Chair Haluk Murat Poyraz, one of the attorneys for the family, took the floor and expressed his request for intervening in the case.

The court board has adjourned the hearing to January 20, 2020.

(EMK/SD)