Police Officer's Sentence for Sexually Assaulting Refugee Woman Reduced due to 'Good Behavior'
Click to read the article in Turkish
The court has announced its verdict on the case of a police officer sexually assaulting a female refugee from Uzbekistan in a police car in October 2018.
The officers encountered I.K. in a taxi during a security control; because she did not have an ID card, they took her into custody and brought her into the police car, where they sexually assaulted the women and took away her money.
Five officers have been under trial for the incident, with one of them being under arrest.
The İstanbul Public Prosecutor's Office demanded a prison term up to 46 years for police officer Ş.Ş., up to 10.5 years for İ.K. for assistance to a crime, and up to 15.5 years for three other officers for not reporting a crime and backing a criminal.
The verdict hearing of the case was held yesterday at the 8th Heavy Penal Court of İstanbul.
While all the defendants attended the hearing, an attorney from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services were also present, representing I.K.
Defendants rejected the charges
The defendants requested their acquittal, pleading not guilty.
The court acquitted defendant İ.K. of "depriving a person of his/her freedom."
Defendants A.B, E.S., Y.S. have been sentenced to 7 months and 15 days in prison for "not reporting an offense" as public officers. The court suspended the announcement of the verdict after reaching an opinion that the defendants will not commit an offense again, considering the defendants' crime records and stance and behavior in the hearings.
A.B, E.S., Y.S. have also been acquitted of "backing a criminal."
Defendant Ş.Ş. has been sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison for "bribery," and 5 years for "depriving a person of his/her freedom."
The court sentenced him 12 years in prison for "sexual assault," then increased it to 18 years because the offense was committed with a weapon an by the misconduct of a public officer.
Considering the stance and behavior of the defendant in the hearings, the court reduced the sentence to 15 years. The arrest of the defendant shall continue, it ruled.
What happened?According to the bill of indictment, a taxi that was carrying 27-year-old I.K. from Uzbekistan as a passenger was stopped by the police officers Ş.Ş. And İ.K. around Yedikule area in İstanbul. The two officers brought the women in the police car, where she was held for three to four hours. They then brought the woman to Silivrikapı area. Police officer Ş.Ş. Raped the woman in the car and took 1,400 Turkish liras that belonged to I.K. Meanwhile, the officer İ.K. waited outside the car. The two officers then dropped off the woman in Yedikule and went away. After the incident, I.K. went to Aksaray Şehit Vedat Ulusoy Police Command, told police officer Y.S. what happened. The officer did not accept the application of the women, saying, "He is already very regretful, I will give punishment to him. You go and take a shower now. Have a rest and don't dwell on these happenings, forget them." The woman then tried to tell what happened to Commissary E.S. He also did not accept the application, saying, "I am the commissary of the officer who did that. As a punishment, I will send him to exile." Officer A.B. who was the on-duty commander that day, also did not order for legal action despite listening to I.K. Her money was returned to her here. G.K., a friend of I.K. went to the police station yesterday, only to find out that no one knew about the incident. The officers noticed their commander after learning what happened. Officers Ş.Ş. and I.K. were arrested on October 17, 2018. |
(EMK/VK)