Man faces up to 7 years in prison for torturing stray cats

A man  accused of torturing numerous cats in İstanbul's Eyüpsultan by pouring caustic soda and acid on them is facing a potential prison sentence of up to 7 years and 6 months.

During the hearing at İstanbul's 60th Penal Court of First Instance, the defendant Murat Ö. and his lawyer did not appear. The hearing, attended by lawyers from the İstanbul Bar Association Animal Rights Center and the People's Liberation Party, was also observed by many animal lovers.

While the lawyers requested heavy punishment for the defendant, the public prosecutor, when asked for his opinion on the substance, read out the prepared indictment.

According to the indictment, it was stated that between July 17 and August 6, 2023, the defendant poured corrosive sulfuric acid on street cats at different times, and these incidents were also captured on camera.

The indictment noted a continuous commission of the crime of "torturing a pet or treating it cruelly and inhumanely." It sought a prison sentence ranging from 11 months to 7 years and 6 months for the accused.

The court, in its interim decision, ordered the issuance of a compulsory appearance order for the defendant to obtain additional statements and postponed the hearing.

What happened?

Responding to a tip about an individual pouring acid on stray animals around the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, the district police detained Murat Ö. on August 7, 2023, after identifying him.

The suspect, who had 6 criminal records, was fined 91,080 Turkish liras administratively. After his statement was taken by the prosecution, the defendant was arrested by the duty criminal judge on duty, who requested his arrest.

In the indictment prepared by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the suspect faces a prison sentence of 11 months to 7 years and 6 months for the crime of "torturing a pet or treating it cruelly and inhumanely."

Accepting the indictment and initiating the trial, the İstanbul 60th Penal  Court of First Instance had released the detained defendant during the first hearing. (AÖ/VK)