"Beat & Release": Overseas Edition: Indian Official Drains Reservoir to Find Cellphone He Dropped

english links to the original English article

(Independent Newspaper (England), 30 May 2023)

          Local irrigation becomes "selfie" collateral damage.

A government official in India has been suspended from his job after he

ordered a water reservoir to be drained so could retrieve his smartphone,

which he had dropped while taking a selfie. (!) 

Food inspector Rajesh Vishwas dropped his phone into Kherkatta dam

in the state of Chhattisharh last week,  The Times of India newspaper

reported.  Vishwas first asked local divers to jump into the reservoir

to find the device, claiming that it contained sensitive government data.

He then asked for the reservoir to be emptied using diesel pumps. 

Over the next three days, more than 2 million liters of water (!) were

pumped out from the reservoir, which is enough to irrigate at least

1,500 acres of land during India's scorching summer.  Vishwas told

local media the water in the reservoir was unusable for irrigation and

that he had received permission from a senior official to drain it.

The smartphone was eventually retrieved but wouldn't operate.  Vishwas

was suspended from his job. 

"Beat & Release": UFO Sighting Over Gaziantep Stalls Air Traffic

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 21 May 2023)

     Looks pretty authentic. Hard to argue with this one.

In the skies above Gaziantep, pilots noticed an object they could not

identify (UFO!) at about 0030 hours last night and alerted Turkish 

aviation officials, who launched IHA and SIHA (unmanned drones

and armed unmanned drones) in pursuit of the airspace intruder.

The UFO was flying at an altitude of about 9,000 feet and two 

passenger plane cockpit crews reported seeing the UFO.  In addition

to the launch of the IHA's and SIHA's, the Turkish National Radar

System at Gaziantep was said to have been alerted. 

The UFO sighting prompted officials to suspend flights from Gaziantep

Airport, with flights diverted to Adana and Şanlıurfa airports.  One of

the planes that spotted the UFO landed at Adana.  A total of 13 aircraft

departures and an equal number of aircraft landings were canceled at

Gaziantep, with normal operations resuming at noon yesterday. 

A THY (Turkish Airlines) flight from Istanbul Airport and an Anadolujet

flight from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Gaziantep were delayed because of

the UFO incident.  Ultimately, the two flights departed at about 1315

hours yesterday afternoon. 

"Beat & Release": Longest Nose Record Holder Succumbs, in Rize; Trucker Joins Highway Wedding Dance, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 May 2023)

                                  The nose knows.

Mehmet Özyürek (74), with his 8.8-centimeter-long nose, won the 

International Long Nose Competition (!) sponsored by a local TV 

station in Rize in both 1998 and 2000.   In 2011, Özyürek, who was

from Artvin, entered the Guinness Book of World Records thanks

to his nose. 

Unfortunately, as Özyürek was being prepared for an operation at

Rize State Hospital for a vein transplant he suffered a heart attack 

and died.  He will be buried in Artvin. 

Role model...

****************************************************

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 May 2023)

               Trucker's happy feet just couldn't resist. 

In Sultangazi, Istanbul, drivers in a wedding convoy stopped traffic on

Selçuklu Boulevard and began dancing the "horon".  A TIR (tractor-

trailer) driver coming from the opposite direction stopped too and 

joined in the "horon" dance. (!)  The scene was shared on social media. 

Another person on the road sat on the front hood of a moving car and

waved to another driver making a video of the dangerous action. 

                               Better not stop short.

"Beat & Release": Road Rage with Meat Cleavers, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 May 2023)

                                Street Swashbuckler

In Fatih, Istanbul, last Friday "köfte" (meatball) deliveryman Sefa Akyüz

(23) was returning to his shop on his motorcycle after a delivery.  At a

traffic light, Akyüz stopped his motorcycle between two cars and asked 

one of the drivers, Sedat Y., to give him a bit more room.  However (!),

this request enraged Sedat Y., who jumped out of his car and began 

punching Akyüz.  Sedat Y. then grabbed a meat cleaver from the trunk

of his car and went after Akyüz with it.  Other drivers intervened and

Akyüz was able to make his escape. 

Undeterred, Sedat Y. pursued Akyüz all the way to the "köfte" shop,

where he rained down curses and insult on Akyüz before leaving the

scene.  Akyüz filed a police complaint and Sedat Y. was taken into 

custody at his home in Fatih.  With regard to the meat cleaver, Sedat Y.

claimed that he dropped it somewhere he couldn't recall after the 

excitement of the incident. (!) 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 18 May 2023)

                     Drive at your own risk in Istanbul.

In Başakşehir, Istanbul, the day before yesterday at about 0940 in the

morning, Bayram Doğan followed Sultan Bayram, with whom he

lives, on his motorcycle.  When Doğan saw that Sultan hanım got into

Recep Demirok's car he cut off  Demirok and attacked his car with a 

"döner kebap" cleaver. (!)

This attack prompted Sultan hanım to flee, as Doğan attacked Demirok

with the cleaver, injuring him in the back and neck.  Bystanders saved

Demirok from further harm, but Doğan continued to pound on his car

with the cleaver.   Police arrived at the scene and Doğan fled with the

cleaver in his hand.  Demirok was taken to Başakşehir Çam and Sakura

City Hospital for treatment. 

"Beat & Release": Pigeons Released but Earthquake Damage Leads Them Astray

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 May 2023)

                      "Hey, which way to Diyarbakır?!"

Every year in the month of March in Diyarbakır there is a pigeon race, 

such that pigeons are released from another area and race back to 

Diyarbakır.  This year 650 pigeons were released from Kayseri, all of 

them with chips on their legs to mark their locations along the way. 

However (!), this year many of them did not return to Diyarbakır as 

expected, with some of them straying off course to Syria, Gaziantep

and Malatya.  Serhat Çağlı, head of the Diyarbakır office of the Turkey

Pigeon Federation, explained that "many of our birds did not return from

where they were released and the reason is that the earthquake destroyed

many of their landmarks.  Every time there is an earthquake our birds

get lost." 

TNT History Archives: Ottoman Officer, Banished by Sultan Abdülhamid II to Libya in 1897 and 1902, Described the Horrors en Route

Ottoman naval officer Sami (Çölgeçen) was sentenced to death by the

regime of Sultan Abdülhamid II in 1897 because of his ties to the Young

Turk movement, but exiled to Tripoli, Libya, instead.  Soon after, though

his rank was reinstated and he served in Tripoli (Lebanon), Iskenderun 

and Haifa.  

However, another death sentence was imposed on him in 1902, but, again, 

the sentence was converted to exile, this time in Fezzan, a remote Ottoman 

outpost in southwestern Libya where he remained for five years before 

escaping across the Sahara Desert to the Gulf of Guinea and from there 

by ship to Liverpool and, eventually Istanbul. 

Judging from Sami Bey's description of the journey from arrest to arrival

in Libya and Fezzan, he may have preferred hanging.  Herewith, his 

description as recorded in an interview with an Izmir newspaper as he 

returned to Turkey in September 1908: 

For the complete story, see the English translation of Sami

Bey's book "How I Crossed the Great Sahara Desert" on

the Academia.edu website.

"Beat (ing Hearts) Released": 4 Die From Heart Attacks at Presidential Election Polling Sites Around Turkey

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 May 2023)

Talk about electoral excitement! At least democracy is alive

and well.

Five citizens suffered heart attacks at their respective polling places in 

Rize, Trabzon, Giresun, Manisa and Artvin, evidently from the 

excitement related to the presidential and parliamentary elections 

yesterday.  Four of them died. (!)

Şeref Kurt (64), a polling booth official in İkiztepe village of Pazar 

district in Rize, had a heart attack at 9 o' clock yesterday morning 

while he was on duty.  He was taken to Kaçkar State Hospital, where

he expired. 

Aysel Ulusoy (75), who lived in Derecik village in Trabzon's Akçaabat

district, went with her relatives to cast her vote yesterday morning in

ballot box 1093 at the Çevreli Camisi Lokai polling site.  Upon entering

the polling booth, though, she suffered a heart attack and died at a 

nearby hospital. 

Similarly, İbrahim Yıldız (85) of Cibril village in Giresun's Espiye

district, went with relatives to cast his vote in ballot box 1019.  But when

he emerged from the pooling booth Yıldız collapsed and died on the spot.

Meanwhile, in Manisa, businessman Zafer Leblebeci (48), a former 

member of the Akhisar football team's board, suffered a heart attack and 

died as he sat in his car waiting for his parents to cast their votes.  

And in Artvin's Çamlık neighborhood, Ergin Asıliskenderoğlu (54) 

had a heart attack as he entered the polling booth with his ballot.  He

was taken to Artvin State Hospital where he is being treated. 

Giresun is just west of Trabzon and Manisa is near Izmir. 

"Beat & Release": Pepper Spray Defense Saves Woman During Ex-Hubby's Attack, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 14 May 2023)

                 And worst of all, he's allergic to pepper!

On 4 May in Sultangazi district of Istanbul, Derya Muslu (46) was on 

her way to see the public prosecutor in regard to threats from her 

ex-husband Muzaffer Meral (63).  En route, however, Meral shot at

her three times and one of the bullets hit Derya hanım in her stomach.

She had gone to a police station the night before about Meral's threats.

As Meral shot at Derya hanım, though, she counterattacked with pepper

spray, forcing Meral to flee.  He was soon arrested and jailed, while

Derya hanım was taken to a hospital for treatment of her stomach wound.

Derya hanım related that "at midnight he sent me photographs with guns

and the message 'I'm going to kill you!'  This prompted me to go to the

police station where they told me I should go see the public prosecutor

in the morning.  I took leave from work and went with reports about his

beatings and the restraining orders I've had on him for three years.  I 

have young children and after he shot me I thought I'd never see them

again. Then I get a 'geçmiş olsun' ((get well soon)) message (!) from him

the morning after his attack from another phone number. Luckily, the 

day before I had bought pepper spray - if I hadn't sprayed it at him he

would have killed me for sure. The police have put guards at the hotel

for me."

  

"Beat & Release": Gang Got $3 Billion from Illegal Internet Betting Fraud, but Gang Leader Cries "I'm the Victim!"

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 13 May 2023)

There's no such thing as a victimless crime. Just ask Harun D.

Harun D., the leader of a fraud gang that bilked people out of 3 billion (!)

TL (about $1.5 billion) with fake gambling websites, rejected the 

accusations made against him and declared that "I'm the victim here!"

On 4 May, an Izmir-centered raid was conducted by police under the name 

"Spring Cleaning" that nabbed 220 out of 266 suspects in 40 provinces 

for a laundry list of internet crimes focused on illegal betting that brought

the gang about 3 billion TL.  49 of the suspects taken into custody were

jailed and 135 were released.  None of them confessed to the crimes and,

in fact, gang leader Harun D. (60) claimed that he lost 8,500 TL when he

set up the "company".  Nevertheless, police determined that over the past

three months 229 million TL (about $11.5 million) has passed through 

Harun D.'s "company"'s bank account. (!)

                    It's simple: you gambled and you lost.

"Beat & Release": Doctor's "Back Alley" Operation Proposal Gets "Stinging" Rebuke, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 12 May 2023)

Doctor C.M.  steps out of his operation room to greet patients.

In Istanbul, Anıl A. (21), suffering from "varicocele" (enlargement of

veins in a male's scrotum), went to Beylikdüzü State Hospital.  He

was examined by Doctor C.M. (55), who told Anıl bey that an operation

was necessary.  The doctor told him that "You can have the operation done

on the outside - it will cost you 10,000 TL (about $500), but I'll do it

for 5,000 TL." - asking for "bıçak parası" ("knife money" - for an "under-

the-table" operation). 

However (!), Anıl bey went to the police and complained.  As a result, a

"sting" was set up on 28 April, whereby as Doctor C.M. took the 

money from Anıl bey he was caught red-handed.  Nevertheless, Doctor

C.M. was released on judicial supervision. 

  

"Beat & Release": Courthouse Romance Ends Badly at Country House, in Hendek

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 May 2023)

The late kickboxer, Arabic translator, politician, "zumba"

instructor" and mother Emine hanım...

 

Emine Ercandoğdu (38), an Arabic translator, had two children ages 10

and 12 from a husband she separated from 10 years ago.  She also had

a black-belt in kick boxing (!) and taught "zumba".  Three years ago 

she went to work as a translator in the Bakırköy, Istanbul, courthouse and

met retired policeman Tuncay Gülenç (55), who also had two children 

and was on the verge of divorcing his wife.  

The rocky relationship between Emine hanım, who was also the deputy 

chief of the Gelecek Party's Istanbul women's branch, and Tuncay bey was 

evidenced in 2021 when Emine hanım beat him with an umbrella at a 

café in Bakırköy, before pouring hot coffee on him (!).  Tuncay bey

did not respond in kind at that time.

Tuncay bey's son Gökmen Gülenç was murdered last year, thoroughly

disrupting his psychology.  Last Monday, he and Emine hanım went to

a country house in Sakarya's Hendek district but an argument erupted

between them, prompting Tuncay bey to shoot Emine hanım and then

go to his son's grave, where he shot himself to death.

The blood stains in Tuncay bey's car led the Gendarmerie back to the

country house, where they found Emine hanım's body in the driveway,

to where she had crawled in her wounded condition.  Tuncay bey's 

body was sent to Giresun for his funeral and Emine's to Istanbul for

hers.  Both were buried yesterday. 

Three Bears Rescued but Goldilocks Nowhere to be Found, From Giresun to Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 10 May 2023)

       Too cute for words. Anybody want a teddy bear??

Three bear cubs who had lost their mother in a forest in Giresun had been

taken to a bear shelter in Bursa. "Ziver", "Hurşit" and "Şekerpare" will

live among 74 other bears, 11 of which are cubs like them, in the shelter. 

Villagers in Giresun found the three bear cubs, 2 of which are males, in

the woods and informed a team from the Agriculture and Forestry

Directorate.  The cubs were then taken to the Ovakorusu Bear Shelter and

Celal Acar Wild Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Karacabey

district of Bursa province.  

Ali Bozkurt, director of the Nature Protection and National Parks' 2nd

Region, explained that efforts were made in Giresun to find the cubs' 

mother but without success.   Bozkurt noted that veterinarians at the

Bursa shelter had found the cubs to be depleted of liquids and feeling

the stress of their adventure, but, nevertheless, were in pretty good 

conditions.  The cubs are being nourished with a mixture of lactose-

free milk, honey, vitamin powder and fruit juice six times a day.  The

cubs each weigh between 3,600 and 4,300 grams and are thought to

be about 2.5 months old. 

 

"Beat & Release": Illegals' "Rust Bucket" Transport to Romania via Black Sea Foiled by Gendarmerie, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 9 May 2023)

   "Rust Bucket" Tourism AŞ...not quite Carnival Cruises.

The Istanbul Gendarmerie Command went after a human trafficking 

organization that was taking hundreds of  illegal migrants to Romania 

via the Black Sea.  For ten months the comings and goings of all boats

at the fishing port of Karaburun on the Black Sea coast of Istanbul's 

Arnavuköy district were monitored, with the involvement of MIT 

(Turkish National Intelligence Organization/TNIO). 

Two restaurants in Aksaray, Istanbul, were used as the meeting place for

the illegals and their shepherds, who were themselves illegal aliens.  

The illegals paid between $5,000-$7,000 for passage.  From the restaurants

the illegals were taken to five houses in Arnavutköy, Istanbul, to await the

time for boarding the "rust bucket"-type run-down ships, which left from 

Karaburun on moonless nights en route to Romania. 

The Gendarmerie, together with the Coast Guard and MIT, conducted

simultaneous raids on the five houses in Arnavutköy, the two restaurants

in Aksaray and 10 vehicles that were transporting illegals.  15 individuals

were arrested and 6 fishing boats, 9 inflatable boats, 10 automobiles, 35

passports and 300,000 TL in cash were seized.  11 of the 15 individuals

were jailed and the other 4 were released on judicial supervision. 

Some illegals were rescued at the last moment from a sinking "rust

bucket" in the waters off Karaburun, while others were captured in a 

wooded area near the boarding point.  538 illegal migrants were turned

over to immigration officials for expulsion from Turkey.

"Beat & Release": Mom's Body Wrapped in a Bedsheet, Stuffed in a Closet, Thanks to Loving Son, in Alanya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 May 2023)

                               Momma's boy. (not!)

Fatma S. (70), who lived in Anatlya's Alanya district, had not been heard 

from by her neighbors for two days so they called the police.  On 3 May

police had a locksmith open Fatma hanım's door and found her dead

body wrapped in a bed sheet and stuffed into a clothes closet.  Police

determined that she had been killed by a stab wound to her neck. 

In the ensuing investigation, police learned from Fatma hanım's neighbors

that they had heard her arguing with her son Süleyman S. two days earlier.

This prompted police to look for the son, who was stopped by motorcycle

police on Atatürk Avenue in Antalya.  Süleyman S. gave them his sibling's

ID number but the police soon learned his true identity and he confessed

to murdering his mother. 

"Beat & Release": Visitors to Istanbul Might Want to Avoid the "Masquerade" Nightclub in Gayrettepe

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 7 May 2023)

another one to avoid :the "Ruby" in Ortaköy 

                                                 Whoops!

In Gayrettepe, Istanbul, Özcan Şahin (23) and his friend Bedirhan

Muhdatoğlu (21) went to the well-known nightclub "Masquerade" last

Tuesday night.   After hours of merrymaking, the two left the bar

at 0245 in the morning but Şahin got into a fight in front of the

nightclub.  Enraged by the beating he took, Şahin got into his car, 

plate number 06 BFU 384, and proceeded to crash at high speed into 

the crowd in front of the nightclub. (!) 

Şahin's car hit valet Ali Sedat Özkan (52), who was flung into the air

before hitting the ground, and nightclub manager Roşan Özbek (31).  

Both of them were rushed to a hospital but Özkan died there, whereas 

Özbek received treatment for a broken bone in his right foot.  

Police took Şahin into custody.  In his statement, Şahin explained that

"after we drank and had fun in the bar we went outside, where some

guys were fighting.  One of them punched me and cursed at me.  I

got into my car but I don't remember hitting anyone with it." As for

Muhdatoğlu, he stated that "we drank in the bar and didn't have any

trouble with anyone.  We got into the car and Özcan did what he did.

I pulled the emergency brake to stop the car.  I don't know whether

Özcan did it on purpose or not." (!) 

                                      Lost in a Masquerade.

"Beat & Release": Judges Stick Together in Parking Dispute, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 May 2023)

Judge's complaint gets a collegial judgment from another judge.

In Bakırköy, Istanbul, restaurant owner Fıraz Hökenek parked his car on

29 April.  In back of his car was a Jeep belonging to Çorlu court judge

Mehmet Kalkandelen.  When Hökenek maneuvered to pull away from 

his parking spot he slightly bumped Kalkandelen's vehicle.  An argument

between the two ensued and Kalkandelen punched Hökenek in his neck

area.  In response, Hökenek head-butted Kalkandelen. (!)

Police and bystanders tried to separate the two combatants but Kalkandelen

resumed his assault.  Hökenek then kicked him to the ground.  Both of them

filed police complaints.  In his statement, Hökenek asserted that "there was

a blind spot so I bumped his vehicle slightly.  When I got out to see what

had happened he said to me 'are you blind!?'  I responded by saying 'who

are you?!'  to which he replied 'can't you see that 'judge' is written there, 

you son of a bear! You must be blind!'.  He continued to threaten me and

then he punched me in the neck.  In self-defence I head-butted him.  The

police intervened but he kept coming after me."

As for Kalkandelen, he stated that "I told him that acting like a roughneck

was unbecoming of him. He responded by saying 'are you a shepherd?! 

Don't you know how to park a car?!'  Then I said 'no I'm not a shepherd

I'm someone steeped in the law, I'm a judge!'  He kicked me to the ground

and punched me in the nose three times. If the police hadn't come he would

have killed me!"

Hökenek was taken into custody by police and brought before a judge in

the Bakırköy court at the request of the Bakırköy public prosecutor.  He was 

jailed on the charge of "threatening and intentionally wounding." (!)

"Beat & Release": Hoodwinkers Edition: Sham Sunflower Oil Plant, in Adana; Scoundrels Lured Foreign Women, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 May 2023)

Another lesson in "all that glitters is not golden sunflower oil".

Police in Adana determined that Sait Y. hoodwinked businessmen in 

France and Arab countries out of 150 million TL (about $7.7) with

the promise of selling them sunflower seed oil by touring the prospective 

customers around a "sunflower oil production plant" that was nothing 

but a sham.  (!)

In a raid on the "plant" police apprehended Sait Y. and his son Mehmet

Y., along with 37 other suspects.  50 million TL was seized from the 

suspects' bank accounts, as were 7 flats in three cities, a 793.87

square meter plot of land and five vehicles.  

It turned out that Sait Y. had opened the sham sunflower oil 

production facility in Yüregir, Adana, while his son Mehmet Y, who 

has a degree in foreign trade (!), shared pictures of it on social media 

and offered inexpensive olive oil.  Businessmen lured by the 

promotion were toured around the sham "olive oil production plant" 

and subsequently taken out to be wined and dined by father and son. 

                           "Nothing up my slippery sleeve..."

*******************************************************

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 May 2023)

"Thank you for being a friend. Now gimme your money!"

In Istanbul, Mina Z. met a man on social media last February and he

invited her to his home in Pendik, Istanbul.  However (!), when

Mina Z. arrived at the man's home by taxi she and the taxi driver

were greeted by two armed men who relieved Mina Z. and the driver

of their cellphones and money before fleeing. 

Police determined that the culprits were Bartu T. and Şafak A., both

of whom were taken into custody.  Under questioning, the suspects

explained that they targeted foreign women on social media on the

pretext of starting a friendship, invited them to their houses and then

robbed them.  Both Bartu and Şafak were jailed. 

"Beat & Release": Scoundrel Caymaz Kills Musician Aymaz at Kadıköy Pier, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 May 2023)

      "Böyle bir şey olMAZ!" (such a thing cannot happen!)

In Kadıköy, Istanbul, street musician Cihan Aymaz (29) was singing a 

song the evening before last at the pier in Kadıköy when Mehmet 

Caymaz (32) began to verbally harass a woman who was listening to

Aymaz's song.  This prompted Aymaz to warn Caymaz, who reacted 

by demanding that Aymaz sing a favorite song of his.  Aymaz declined

so Caymaz derisively threw some money at him.  

Again Aymaz refused to play Caymaz's favorite song, upon which

Caymaz pulled out a knife and stabbed Aymaz in his heart (!). Then

Caymaz thew Aymaz into the sea and jumped in himself to continue

the attack.  As onlookers on the pier screamed, Caymaz began to swim 

out to deeper water and Aymaz was pulled onto the pier.  A police boat

team apprehended Caymaz and took him into custody.  

Meanwhile, Aymaz was taken to a hospital, where he died.  Police

determined that Caymaz has a record of 13 previous crimes, including

drug use, assault, damaging property, and spewing threats and insults.

Aymaz had worked for a cargo company for 4 years before quitting to

sing on the street.

In his statement to police, Caymaz "explained" that "I was drinking on

the Kadıköy shore and I wanted them to play a song for me but they

yelled at me and started to threaten me.  When they hit me I pulled out

a knife and brandished it.  During the fight, this fellow named Cihan

fell into the water and as the bystanders kept hitting me so I jumped in

too.  As I was trying to save this fellow named Cihan (!) he was trying to

drown me.  I didn't want to kill him." 

 

"Beat & Release": Suspects Concocted Alibi While Stab Victim Bled, "Butt" to No Avail, in Erzurum

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 3 May 2023)

                                     Three's a crowd.

In Erzurum's Yakutiye district on 18 June 2022, Fırat Işık (27), who was

living in the same house with Ayşecik Dağıstanlı (46), whom he referred

to as his "older sister", caught Ayşecik hanım in an "inappropriate

situation" with her alleged boyfriend Erdem İçoğlu (33) and stabbed 

Ayşecik hanım in her chest. 

However (!), rather than call for an ambulance, Işık and İçoğlu debated for

two hours what they would tell the police had happened before calling

for help for Ayşecik hanım, who was taken to a hospital but died there.

Işık and İçoğlu were taken into custody in connection with her death but

İçoğlu claimed he wasn't in the house at the time of the stabbing.  His

alibi, though, was disproven by an expert report from the Ankara Criminal

Police Laboratory Directorate, which determined from cigarette butts (!) in

the house that İçoğlu had been there all along.  Both İçoğlu and Işık were

jailed.

In the indictment, Işık and İçoğlu were charged with "torturous murder",

and "severe life imprisonment" was requested for both because they had

let Ayşecik hanım suffer from the stab wound for two hours while they

tried to come up with an alibi before calling for help.  The trial has now

begun, with both suspects accusing each other of the crime. Nevertheless,

their incarceration will continue.