"Beat & Release": She Analyzed Books About Psychopaths, Then Became One, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 30 September 2023)

                                            Analyze this!

In Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Funda Demirci (47) married Mustafa Çapar (49)

24 years ago and the couple brought three children into the world.  Funda

hanım taught chemistry for 7 years in Istanbul and then spent 10 years 

as a project manager in the private sector.  Subsequently, Funda hanım

got a master's degree in human resources and organizational change. She

left all this, though, 7 years ago to write novels and theater scripts. 

Mostly, her works have been analyses of psychological novels about 

tension and horror.  Funda hanım shortened her surname to "Demir"

and began to identify herself as an "art writer".  Her most recent effort

was an examination of "Olağan Psikopatlar" (Normal Psychopaths) by

Prof. Kevin Dutton of Oxford University.  With regard to the book, 

Funda hanım wrote "In the seventh and last chapter of the book, the

statement that psychopaths have more in common with people of 

high spiritual intelligence than others is quite surprising."

Funda hanım divorced Mustafa Çapar, a financial advisor who had an 

office in the Astoria shopping center, two years ago, because of

"irreconcilable differences".  Mustafa bey then began to live with the 3

children in a luxury apartment complex in Etiler, Istanbul.  

The evening before last, Funda hanım went to the home in Etiler, and

after the children went to bed, Funda hanım and Mustafa bey began to

argue.  At this point, Funda hanım grabbed a kitchen knife and slit 

Mustafa bey's throat (!).  Hearing the commotion, the children came

and saw their father's bloody body on the floor.  Meanwhile, Funda

hanım went down to the apartment house's garden and with the blood-

stained knife in her hand shouted, "go up and see what happened!"

Funda hanım was arrested and in a statement given to police by one of

the children, M.Ç.: "we went to our rooms to sleep but then we heard

screaming and shouting.  I wanted to go to the living room but my

mother shut the door.  I don't know what they were arguing about." 

As for Funda hanım, in her statement she explained that "this is a 

matter of honor.  I don't want to say anything else." She was charged

with "murder with intent" and jailed. 

Funda hanım's office was behind this grocery shop. 

Quite a coincidence.

 

"Fleece & Release": Mersin Gang's Body Doubles and Fake Documents Stole Real Estate of Turks Abroad

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 September 2023)

                      The resemblances were uncanny. 

In Mersin, workers at a notary public office noticed that an individual tried

to have a fake power-of-attorney issued by dying his hair and shaving off

his beard in order to resemble a Turk working in Germany.  The resulting 

police investigation uncovered an organized crime gang that has been 

acquiring information about real estate owned by Turks abroad by bribing

officials at the deeds office. 

Subsequently, the gang used "doubles" (impersonators) like the above to

sell the real estate through the use of various fake documents like death

certificates, ID cards, wills, powers-of-attorney, addresses, bank accounts

and telephone lines.  

As a result, police determined that 12 Turks living abroad had been defrauded

in this way.  23 of the gang members were identified and yesterday in a

police operation involving 130 policemen, including SWAT teams, iron 

doors were broken down and 21 suspects were taken into custody. 

"Beat & Release": Bad "Bee" Stung by Wife's "Super" Lover, in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 September 2023)

                                 Bad bee and bee-swatter.

The investigation into the murder of Recep Arı, whose surname means 

"bee" (31) and whose body was found in a forest in Bursa with nine 

bullets in it six days after he disappeared, has been concluded.  In the 

related indictment, jailed suspect Kadir Ilgız (23) and Arı's wife Selma 

Arı (30) have been charged with "killing with monstrous intent or 

torture" and a life sentence for each has been requested by the Bursa

public prosecutor. 

The indictment states that Selma hanım married Recep bey in 2011 

but was subjected to abuse by him ever since.  In her statement, Selma

hanım explained that "Kadir and I became close about a year ago. But

Recep saw that I was messaging with Kadir and beat me for it. He

grabbed a gun and said to me 'first I'll kill Kadir and then I'll come 

back home and kill you!'.  The next day he didn't return, though."

According to the indictment, the two lovers messaged each other over

WhatsApp, with Kadir bey reporting that "I've taken care of him. He

won't bother you anymore. Go to your mother's house and stay there."

In response, Selma hanım wrote to Kadir bey: "Great! You are super!"

Police photo from forest where Recep bey was found.

"Beat & Release": Drunken Teenagers Stab Tourist Boat Deckhands to Death, in Bebek, Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 25 September 2023)

                                 It's much safer at sea.

Last night at about one-thirty, Engin Göregen (24) and Mazlum Doğan (24),

who worked on a tourist boat along the Bebek shore in Istanbul, came

ashore to head home and waited for a taxi to come.  While waiting, the 

two saw that a group was harassing the taxi drivers so they intervened

to help the drivers.  

As the incident intensified both Göregen and Doğan were stabbed to 

death by the drunken hooligans.  Police reviewed camera images and

took H.E.A. (17), B.K. (17), M.O.B. (18) and G.Ö. (18), along with

girls H.G.A. (18) and B.E.L. (17), into custody.  The knife used in the 

murders was recovered by police, who determined that H.E.A., B.K. 

and M.O.B. stabbed the two youths to death. 

"Beat & Release": Cat Fight Over Cat-napped Scottish Fold, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 September 2023)

              "Take me back to Edinburgh. Please!!!"

In the Mehmet Akif Ersoy neighborhood of Esenyurt, Istanbul, a Scottish

Ford-breed cat looked after by a foreigner in his market shop, was stolen 

by E.Ç. on 13 September.  Last night at about eight-thirty, E.Ç. came to 

the market shop and demanded money from the cat's owner. (!)

The cat owner resisted and his neighbor B.B. intervened, telling E.Ç. to 

give the cat back.  An argument ensued and B.B.'s father S.Ş.B. joined

the fray with E.Ç., who opened fire with a revolver on father and son.

S.Ş.B. returned fire and a bullet accidentally hit a motorcycle courier who

was passing by.  Police arrived and the wounded courier was taken to a 

hospital, while E.Ç., B.B. and S.Ş.B. were arrested and taken to the police

station. 

"Strip & Release": Bikini-only Exhibitionist on Bağdat Avenue Sentenced to Reading Morality Books, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 September 2023)

        One of the few ways to stop traffic in Istanbul.

Model Melisa Aydınalp was arrested for walking along Bağdat Avenue

in Kadıköy, Istanbul, wearing only a bikini (!).  She was sentenced to 

go to a library at least twice a week to read books about "morality and 

societal values".  Melisa hanım was then released from custody after 

agreeing to this condition. 

When images of Melisa hanım sashaying along Bağdat Avenue in a

bikini were shared on social media the public prosecutor had her taken

into custody.  She was charged by police with "shameless behavior" (!)

and sent to court, where the judge ordered her to remain in Turkey and

to sign in regularly at a police station.  

In addition, the court ordered Melis hanım to go to a library designated

by the Judicial Release Directorate at least two days each week and read

books about "morality and societal values".  In this regard, Melisa hanım

is obliged to submit a document prepared by the library about the books

she has read to the investigation file regarding her case. (!) 

A lot to choose from...

"Beat & Release": Motorcycle Gang's Gruesome Murder for Café Expenses, in Kadıköy

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 22 September 2023)

                              "Welcome to our café!"

previous TNT reporting background of the story

On 27 February 2019 garbage collectors in Kadıköy, Istanbul, found two 

human legs in dumpsters.  Police later found the body's hands, head and

trunk of murdered Rıfat Rıza Özturk (55) in other places (!).  Kadıköy

motorcycle gang chief Ferhat Yılmaz and Öztürk's nephew Fahrettin

Öztürk, the gang's deputy chief, were found guilty of the murder. 

"Yargıtay", a higher court, reviewed the sentence and took note of an 

enciphered message sent from Fahrettin Öztürk to Ferhat Yılmaz: "in 

accordance with our motorcycle club's rules I did the needful.  You must 

come here."  Based on this message, the Yargıtay court ruled that 

Fahrettin Öztürk alone had killed his uncle and Yılmaz helped him 

in the aftermath, so his sentence was reduced from life to 20 years. 

In court yesterday Yılmaz stated that "I went to him (Fahrettin) not 

knowing anything about the murder.  I helped the police solve the case

from the time Fahrettin was caught.  Yet, I've spent 4.5 years in prison.
I'm the victim here (!). I want to be exonerated and freed."  

However, the victim's daughter Ege Öztürk said in court that "the suspect 

says he's served 4.5 years in prison.  My father was killed and his body 

parts were scattered all over Istanbul.  We're not talking about a traffic 

violation! I want the maximum sentence for him!" The victim's other 

daughter Gamze Öztürk said "200,000 Euros disappeared. My father's 

money was spent on café expenses.  This murder was done for money!"  

This explanation was included in the prosecutor's indictment: "Ferhat 

Yılmaz was helping the café frequented by his motorcycle gang.  When 

Rıfat Rıza Öztürk said that he was going to invest his money in real 

estate rather than the café, Yılmaz was concerned that the café's situation 

would suffer. So, two months before the murder, Yılmaz gave Fahrettin 

Öztürk a gun and reconnoitered the murder site ahead of time."

café regulars...evidently there's a dress code.

"Beat & Release": Killer's Cause Celébre: "Foul Language is the Mark of a Poor Vocabulary!", in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 20 September 2023)

                      A stickler for polite conversation. 

In February in Bursa, the family of  pharmacist helper Serdar Ergun (47)

called police when Serdar bey disappeared.  Thanks to MOBESE (street

camera) images, police located Serdar bey's car in Büyükçekmece, 

Istanbul, stopped it and took Ahmet Burak Demir (40), who was driving

the car, into custody.  A search of the vehicle produced a revolver and

Serdar bey's body wrapped in a blanket (!). 

Demir "explained" that he killed Serdar bey, who owed him money, 

because he cursed at him.  Demir also told police that he killed his

housemate Murat Kutlu (39) three days before because he cursed at 

Demir too (!).  Police found Kutlu's body in the house in Osmangazi,

Bursa, and a dead dog that Demir had killed, as well.   

After a 7-month investigation, the public prosecutor determined that 

Demir shot Kutlu three times, put his head in the refrigerator and

the rest of the body on the balcony.  Demir also killed the dog on

the balcony with a knife and an axe. (!)

The prosecutor asked for two life sentences for Demir for the two 

murders and a fine of 1,200 TL (about $44) for killing Kutlu's dog (!).

In addition, the prosecutor asked for a sentence of up to two years

for Demir for the crime of "possessing an unlicensed gun". 

Demir's discussion rules...or else!

"Beat & Release": Who Shoots Migrating Storks?! Two Foreigners Caught and Deported, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 September 2023)

              They're scared of bears. Storks are easy prey.

Along the shore of the Sazlıdere dam lake in Arnavutköy, Istanbul, at

about 8 o'clock in the morning the day before yesterday, two men 

arrived in a car with license plate 34 MP 1968 and began to shoot 

storks with long-barreled guns.  Picnicking citizens protested so the

illegal hunters took their guns and the storks they'd shot and departed.

One of the picnickers, Yücel Kaya, related that "we saw two armed men.

They lay in ambush and fired on the storks.  We made noise to try to scare

away the storks but the birds didn't move and the men kept shooting at

them.  We went over to them and said 'what are you doing?!' and in 

reply they said 'we're hunting.  For food.'  Then they left."

Animal-lover Gürkan Gazoğlu stated that "we heard about this early in

the morning. We heard that foreigners were shooting migrating storks

at Şamlar Sazlıdere.  Our friends got all the particulars and the 

authorities went into action.  The storks stop over at this watering

place en route to warmer climates.  Unfortunately, these people were

shooting the storks for food."

A citizen recorded the illegal foreign hunters with a cellphone. Police

traced the car's license plate and arrested foreigners I.S. and Y.G. for

disturbing the peace and torturing animals.  They will be deported after 

police processing. 

"Beat & Release": He Posted Mosque Whiskey Bottle Photos; "Catch Me!" - They Caught Him, in Ataşehir

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 September 2023)

                                Challenge accepted!

S.Y.Ö. (18) shared photos he took of whiskey bottles in a mosque and

declared "I'll turn myself in if they can find this mosque out of 3,200

mosques!"  The day before yesterday S.Y.Ö. was arrested and explained

"I just took the photos as a joke." (!)

S.Y.Ö. shared the photos on Reddit and this caused quite a negative 

reaction on social media.  He challenged authorities to find the mosque

in question, saying "let them look at the camera images from 3,200

mosques and if they find the one then I'll meekly come to the police

station."  It was quickly determined, though, that the mosque was the

Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Mosque in Ataşehir, Istanbul.  S.Y.Ö. was

arrested and charged with "publicly inciting the populace to hatred and 

enmity."

In his statement to police, S.Y. Ö. said "my family is very religious and

I've had very fierce arguments with them. In reaction, I developed a 

hatred toward religion.  My aim was not disrespect. I'm very regretful.

I never thought it would spark this kind of an outcry over an insignificant 

posting.  Now my life is in danger.  I didn't drink alcohol in the mosque.

I just took the pictures of the bottles as a joke. The energy drink and 

glasses were empty."

They could...

"Burn & Release": Ferry Rider's Ponytail Lit on Fire by Anti-Long Hair Vigilante, in Beykoz

türkçe links to original Turkish article and must-see video!

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 18 September 2023)

                The saying "hair on fire" gets too literal.

In Istanbul on 9 September, N.Ç. (52) rose from his seat on the ferry

approaching the Beykoz pier from across the Bosphorus in Sarıyer

and walked toward a young man named M.E.A. sitting further ahead in 

the ferry salon.  N.Ç. then took a cigarette lighter from his pocket and 

lit M.E.A.'s ponytail from behind (!). 

Surprised (to say the least!), M.E.A. tried to extinguish the flames with

his hand and then set upon N.Ç.  A fistfight ensued between the two 

until they were separated by other passengers.  Both N.Ç. and M.E.A.

were taken to the Beykoz police station, where M.E.A. filed a complaint

against N.Ç.

In his statement, N.Ç. "explained" that "I've experienced traumatic 

incidents in the past with long-haired people.  I'm getting psychological

treatment but I couldn't control myself because I didn't take my medicine."

(!)

N.Ç. was charged with "intentional wounding" and "insulting" but

he was released pending trial.

"Beat & Release": Swedish Mafia (!) in Shoot-out in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 16 September 2023)

               Why not? Every country needs a mafia.

At around 11 o'clock on the night of 6 September at a café in the "1453" 

apartment complex of Ağaoğlu Maslak in Sarıyer, Istanbul, gunshots 

were heard, as two individuals on a motorcycle opened fire on a group

sitting in the café.  The shooters fled and the café group boarded a

luxury minibus and departed from the café.  One of them, Azerbaijani

E.A. (37) was shot in the arm and leg. 

Police counted 7 bullet holes in the café's windows and recovered nine

9mm caliber empty shell casings.  The motorcycle had no license plate

and the riders wore helmets so they could not be identified.  

On the other hand, police determined that the minibus was registered to 

a Turkish citizen named İ.A. (33) who was born in Sweden (!).  Police 

found the minibus 10 kilometers away from the shooting incident in 

Ayazağa village.  The driver K.K. (47) and passengers Richard Icho M. 

(23), a Swedish citizen, car dealer Mevludin M. (31), Salah S. (24), 

Elvir M. (22) and Harris I.O. (30) were taken into custody. 

In raids at the addresses of the minibus passengers in Başakşehir and 

Sariyer, police found two revolvers, one of them an unlicensed Glock,

along with 169 9mm bullets, two ball bearing-firing revolvers, 3 grey

colored air gun tubes and 3 plastic and metal boxes containing bullets

for air guns.  Police also recovered 3 grams of marijuana.  

At the Başakşehir address, police took Swede Stella M.A.S. (35) into

custody.  She was expelled from Turkey and deported to Sweden.  

Minibus driver K.K. was released, whereas Richard Icho M., Mevludin

M., Salah S., Elvir M. and Harris L.O. were jailed.  An examination of

the Swedes' cellphones revealed photographs of illegal drugs. 

In their spare time...

"Beat & Release": African's Body Found in THY Plane's Landing Gear, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 16 September 2023)

                         A victim in "landing gear class".

The day before yesterday, Turkish Airlines (THY) Airbus A330, with 

tail number TC-JOA, came to Istanbul from Amsterdam.  After landing,

the plane was given the usual technical examination.  However (!),

the body of an African male, between 30 and 40 years of age, was

found in the landing gear.

Camera images of TC-JOA over two days before the plane left Istanbul

were carefully reviewed but nothing of note was discovered.  The body

has been sent to the police forensics lab in an effort to identify it.  

TC-JOA had left Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, on 10 September

and flew from there to Gambia's capital Banjul.  On 11 September, the

plane flew from Gabon's capital Libreville and Angola's capital Luanda

to Istanbul.  The likelihood is that the individual snuck into the landing

gear at one of those places. 

"Beat & Deny": Afghan Confessed to Rat Poison Murder of Azerbaijani Woman but Now Denies It, in Pamukkale

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 September 2023)

         Learned torture techniques from the Taliban.

On 11 October 2022 in Denizli's Pamukkale district, the body of  Nadia

Nori (30), her hands tied with tape, her feet bound by plastic cuffs and 

her body wrapped in a blanket, was found in an empty field.  Afghani

Sabıyur Sakhizadeh (22) was charged with his girlfriend Nori's murder: 

he gave her rat poison, strangled her and dumped her body 2 kilometers

away after transporting it in a wheelbarrow. (!)

Sakhizadeh confessed to the murder and was jailed.  His trial has now

begun.  One N.K. (16) helped move the body because Sakhizadeh told

him the contents of the wheelbarrow were "iron parts", so N.K. denied 

that he knew there was a body in the wheelbarrow.  Nevertheless, both

Sahkizadeh and N.K. were sent back to prison for the duration of the

trial.

Now, though, Sakhizadeh claims that he confessed under police pressure

and denies guilt, asserting that Nori committed suicide by swallowing

rat poison.  The public prosecutor, however, maintains that Sakhizadeh

intentionally put the rat poison in Nori's food.  As for N.K., he is 

accused of helping to both transport Nori's body and to destroy evidence

of the crime.  The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 3 October.

 

"Beat & Release": A "Cain & Abel" Redux 30 Years Later, in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 14 September 2023)

                                  Field of (bad) dreams.

In Bursa's Kestel district, farmer Selami Kurt (55) borrowed money from

a loan shark to pay his debts.  He then gave the loanshark and friends he

owed money to the phone number of his brother Şaban Kurt (54), the

father of two children.  Selami then began to put pressure on Şaban for

money to pay the loan shark by the end of this month.

Unnerved by repeated phone calls, Şaban blocked his brother's phone.

Enraged, Selami told his relatives "Şaban is driving me crazy! He won't 

answer my calls but I have to talk with him.  He's creating problems! 

I'm going to shoot him!"  Sure enough, last Thursday the two brothers 

came face to face in a field and Selami shot Şaban to death with a 

hunting rifle he uses for hunting pigs.  

Selami then called local authorities and said "I killed my brother.  Send

the Gendarmerie."  Later, Selami asserted that "Şaban had a rifle, too. If

I hadn't shot him he would have shot me!  I regret what happened."

In a tragic coincidence, 30 years ago in the same field, the brothers'

father Latif Kurt killed his deaf and dumb brother Nurullah Kurt with

a sythe over an inheritance dispute. (!)

 

"Beat & Release": Ghoulish Skull & Bones Tales from the Crypt, in Diyarbakır

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 13 September 2023)

             R.K.: "It's a tough job. I try to make it fun!"

In Diyarbakır, R.K. was hired by the relatives of deceased people to open

their graves in Mardinkapı cemetery.  But the related scenes R.K. posted

on social media provoked an outcry.  In particular, R.K. is seen hurling 

skulls and bones into a sack and making fun of them with hand and arm

gestures.  

In another scene on the video, R.K. is kissing and smelling a skull he's 

holding in his hand, while he shakes his head derisively from

side to side before throwing the skull into a sack.  As a result of the 

negative reactions, R.K.'s social media account was shut down.  

Provincial Moslem leader Lütfü İmamoğlu  noted in a statement that 

"Respect must be shown toward both the living and the dead."

R.K. in happier days...

 

"Beat & Release": He Kidnaps Fiancé for 1,500 Kilometer "Surprise" Trip to Iğdır from Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 September 2023)

                          İ.J.: "I don't like surprises."

In Gaziosmanpaşa district of Istanbul the evening before last at

about 5 o'clock, I.J. and another woman left their workplace.  A car 

came alongside the two women and two riders got out, forcing I.J.

into the car.  As the car sped away, a nearby shop's security camera

recorded the incident. 

Police determined that İ.J. had been kidnapped by İ.M., G.J. and

M.S. and taken 1,500 kilometers away to Iğdır, on the border with

Armenia.  In Iğdır police took statements from all concerned and it 

turned out that İ.J. and her "kidnapper" İ.M. are engaged to be married (!).

İ.M. claimed that he just wanted to "surprise" his fiancé.  In the end,

four people, including İ.J.'s little sister G.J., were released after giving

statements to police. 

"Beat & Release": With Friends Like This...And His Goons, in Sultangazi

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 10 September 2023)

                                   Bulut & "friend/goon"

Last month, Dursun Bulut (54), who lives in Istanbul's Sarıyer district,

took his car to his friend (!) Özcan T.'s repair shop in Sultangazi.  

Since Özcan T. also dabbles in the real estate business, Bulut told him

that he wanted to sell a plot of land he owns in Beykoz.  A couple of 

days later, Özcan T. told Bulut that he had found two buyers for Bulut's

plot. 

On 7 August, Bulut met with Özcan T. in front of the Hacıosman metro

station in Sarıyer.  From there they went to Sultangazi, where 4 individuals 

in a minivan threatened Bulut with guns and knives, demanding that he 

give them the deed to the plot and sign a promissory note for 25 million TL

(about $930,000) (!).  

Bulut tried to resist but was badly beaten by the four goons.  When Özcan

T.  pulled a gun on him and said "sign or I'll kill you!", Bulut signed a 

promissory note for 1 million TL (about $37,000).  The goons then left

Bulut in the vicinity of Sultangazi Haseki Training and Research Hospital,

warning him that "If you call the police we'll kill you and your family!"

Bulut's son Mert Bulut stated that his father had five breaks in his spine

but had begun to walk again.  He added that the goons had been calling

from various phone numbers for a month demanding more money.

Police have started looking for Özcan T. and the other three goons. 

"Beat & Release": Crash Driver Gets 13 Years in Jail, But Will Get His License Back in 2.5 (!), in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 9 September 2023)

He'll be driving the prison laundry wagon before too long.

On 3 September 2021 in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district, Ergün Gürdal drove 

his small truck into a crowd waiting at a bus stop in the Camiikebir 

neighborhood.  As a result, Suzan Metin and İlhami Metin lost their

lives and İbrahim Aydoğan, Nuriye Karataş, Sadık Çamurluayak and

Tansel Ağaç were injured.  While receiving treatment at a hospital

Çamurluayak died from another ailment. 

The police forensic lab determined that there were illegal drugs in 

Gürdal's bloodstream and he was found to be 100% responsible for

the crash and resulting deaths and injuries.  Consequently, Gürdal

was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. 

However (!), Gürdal told the court at a hearing the day before yesterday

that he has epilepsy and had fainted just before the accident, adding that:

"twice before I had been hospitalized and the doctors said that I had 

cracks in the veins of my brain.  I began to take a green prescription 

medicine.  After the accident, I was unconscious for 40-45 minutes 

until the police and the ambulance arrived.  Why would I want to harm

those who lost their lives and were injured?!  I'm very sorry it happened."

Ultimately, the court sentenced Gürdal to 13 years and 4 months in jail.

In addition, his driver's license was confiscated for 2 and a half years (!).

"Beat & Release": Barber Shop Customers in Deadly Fight Over "Whose Turn Is It?!", in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 September 2023)

                                                "Next!"

In Kartal, Istanbul, on 2 September, Türkican Yıldırm (18) went to a 

barber shop with a friend to get a haircut.  As the two waited their turn,

another customer entered the shop and an argument erupted over whose

turn came next. (!)

At this point one Mehmet Emin Öz entered the shop and said to the two

youths "who was disrespectful to my friend!".  The argument then became

a fight during which Öz threw a punch at Yıldırım, who slumped to the 

ground, while his friend and Öz continued fighting.  

Others in the shop ultimately quelled the fight and Yıldırım was taken to

a hospital, where he was placed in intensive care for 3 days.  The evening

before last he passed away.  Öz was arrested and taken to jail. 

"Beat & Release": Unrequited Love Prompts Shooting of Groom to Prevent Wedding, in Diyarbakır

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 7 September 2023)

                       "If I can't have her, no one can!"

In Diyarbakır's Kayapınar district, bridegroom A.E. (20) and the bride-to

-be F.A. went to the wedding hall with their relatives.  Laying in wait for 

them was Selahattin Aktaş (26), who fired eight shots at A.E.  Ten-year-

old E.K. was hit by a ricochet bullet in the leg.  A.E. remains in serious 

condition in a hospital.

Police captured Aktaş five hours later in a friend's house and recovered

the gun he used, as well.  It turned out that a year ago Aktaş proposed

marriage to the F.A. but was rebuffed.  In his statement to police,

Aktaş explained that he was in love with F.A., who is his relative, and

when he found out that she would marry another man he decided to 

do what he could to prevent the marriage: "I came at the bridegroom 

from behind and shot at his feet.  I don't remember how many shots I

fired.  My aim wasn't to kill him, just to prevent the wedding." (!)

"Beat & Release": Another Two-time Wife-Killer Asserts Honor Before Suicide, in Karabük

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 September 2023)

                         "Honor is a beautiful thing" (!)

In Karabük, Hasan Küçükyılmaz (59) got into an argument with his wife

of one year, Özlem hanım (45) the night before last because of jealousy.

Özlem hanım left the house with her mother Nazife Çetingök (62) but

Hasan bey pursued them and opened fire with a "pompalı tüfenk" (pump-

action rifle) at the two women, killing them both.  Hasan bey fled but 

was caught by police 4 hours later, hiding in a pine grove.  Rather than

surrender, though, Hasan bey put the rifle to his chin and pulled the 

trigger, killing himself.

It turned out that in 2008, Hasan bey had killed his first wife Nimet

Küçükyılmaz (!) and was released from prison two years ago, after 

which he married Özlem hanım, who sought help from police because

of Hasan bey's violent treatment but retracted her complaint. 

Prior to killing himself, Hasan bey had posted on Whatsapp that he 

would be dead on 5 September (!), explaining that "she must die.  

Honor is a beautiful thing and one has to hold it tight. Her body lies

on the asphalt pavement. Then I'll kill myself.  I'll demand answers 

from you in the afterlife.  I will never forgive you. You have paid for 

your dishonor, as did your mother.  I told you you would be my

plaything."

"Beat & Release": Blocked by Turkish Boyfriend from All Internet Contact, Kyrgyz Woman Improvised Via IBAN, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 September 2023)

"Expect a surprise ha ha ha!...I'm sending photos by courier

to your house!"

A married businessman decided to part from his Kyrgyz girlfriend and

blocked her from all of his internet links.  However (!), the young woman

continually sent 1 TL to the businessman's IBAN address of his bank

account and included threats in the "explanation" section. 

According to the investigation file about the matter, businessman İsa B.

began a two-year affair with Kyrgyzstan native Dılıara T., who had lived 

in Turkey for 10 years.  When the young woman became pregnant last

May, İsa B. wanted her the have an abortion.  The couple argued and,

ultimately, Dılıara hanım had a miscarriage.  

Afterwards, İsa B. cut off Dılıara hanım from all access to his internet

accounts but she counterattacked by continually sending 1 TL (less than 

1 US cent) to his bank account and included threats in the explanation 

section. (!)  İsa B. sent messages back to Dılıara hanım in this same 

channel.  Finally, on 15 August İsa B. filed a complaint against Dılıara 

hanım, asserting that she threatened to send his family photos from their 

time together.

İsa B. explained that "when her blackmail against me was unsuccessful,

she wrote to my older brother İbrahim B., demanding 138,000 TL

(about $5,000) and he succumbed to her demand in order to protect me." 

The Istanbul public prosecutor began an investigation concerning Dılıara

hanım for the crimes of "blackmail, threats and insults".  Based on these

charges, she was deported to Kyrgyzstan.