In the Name of Honor

trap links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 5 December 2012)

Cuneyt Ozcan

Cuneyt Ozcan (32) of Batman kidnapped his
fellow Batmanian F.A. and married her last
May. Allegedly, F.A.'s father Nesip Ayaz (33)
wanted compensation and threatened Ozcan
with death, saying "you'll give me a girl in
exchange for my daughter". (In Turkey, such
an 'honor-based' (!)  girl-exchange situation is
called 'berdel')

In response to Ayaz's threat, Ozcan played for
time, telling his pursuer that "I'll give you my
sister but she's in Batman right now." (Ozcan
was in Istanbul at this time). However, when
Ayaz's threats became punches Ozcan went to
'Plan B': "my uncle's daughter S.G. is in Istanbul.
You can have her if you want."

Ayaz allegedly accepted this proposal but asked
"how will we get the girl?". This prompted Ozcan
to come up with a devilish plan to kidnap his
cousin. He told S.G. that he was looking for a
flat for himself and his bride F.A. in Istanbul.
Upon finding a desireable apartment Ozcan
asked S.G. to accompany him to check it out.

So, during her lunch break, S.G. went to the
apartment in Zeytinburnu in a car driven by
Ozcan's friend Ozbek Aran (29). On arriving,
the unwitting S.G. entered the apartment as
Ozcan and Aran slammed the door and locked
her in.

A third person then jumped on S.G., who later
tearfully old the prosecutor what had happened
during the terrifying minutes that ensued: "the
person threw me on the floor and put his hand
to my mouth, trying to rape me. I bit his arm and
he hit me, breaking my nose. I had a knife that I
carry to peel fruit and I plunged it into his right
breast.  He fell wounded."

Taking advantage of her assailant's fall, S.G.
started to scream and responding neighbors
broke down the door. Nesip Ayaz, the attacker,
fled and S.G., who fainted, was taken to a hospital.
When she awoke her first words were naming those
who had sprung this trap on her.

Ozcan, Ayaz and Aran were all arrested, charged
with "sexual assault, force and threat, and using
a trick to deprive a person of  her freedom" and
sent to jail. A case against the suspects was opened
and 30 year sentences were requested for each of
them.

Zeytinburnu,Istanbul, located toward lower left side.