"Beat & Release": Abuser Gets Chance After Chance to Terrorize His Victim, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 31 January 2024)

              Somewhat symbolic but you get the idea.

Dilek Acu (42), who lives in Istanbul's Eyüpsultan district, was living

with Ahmet Çelik (43) whom she met 15 years ago and they have a 

14-year-old daughter.  However (!), Çelik's brutality towards Dilek

hanım drove her to leave him with their daughter and take up residence

in a one-story house on a plot of land belonging to the Foundations

General Directorate, but across the street from Çelik's family home. 

The couple patched things up, supposedly, but the same abuse resumed

so Dilek hanım gave the daughter to the state child protection agency,

got a restraining order against Çelik and had cameras placed in her home.

She also put a concrete barricade (!) in front of her house but noted that 

"he waits in front with a knife saying 'I'm gonna slice you up!'. Anymore

all I want is to breathe peacefully and protect my daughter."

                                              "What?"

Çilek was jailed for some time but upon his release (!) he resumed the

same threats and abuse against Dilek hanım so she moved again and 

asked the court to keep her address secret.  Now, Dilek hanım has

requested that Çilek be fitted with an electronic handcuff, such that he

cannot come within 750 meters of Dilek hanım for the next 3 months.

If Çilek violates these stipulations then he will be jailed from 3 to 10

days (!). 

"Betroth & Release": 1 Million Euro August Wedding in Monaco Now in Divorce Court

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 30 January 2024)

                                    In happier days...

In August last year businessman Doğukan Dudaroğlu and Alara Mildon, 

the daughter of Mert Mildon, the Chairman of the Board of Miller Holding,

were married in a 1 million Euro wedding in Monaco.  However (!), as

the result of Alara hanım's capricious behavior Doğukan bey has filed for

divorce and asked for a restraining order against his uncle Latif Küçük,

who is allegedly spreading false rumors and accusations about Doğukan

bey and his family on social media. 

The fact that Alara hanım is pregnant has not prevented their separation. 

Can they get their money back??!!

"Birth & Release": Helicopter Adventure for Her and Her Newly Born 15th (!) Child, in Van

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 January 2024)

                            Modern-day stork service.

Miyeser Şahin began to get labor pains in her home in Altıntaş village

located 20 kilometers away from Bahçesary district center in Van province

and gave birth to her 15th child (!) there.  However, when her bleeding 

wouldn't stop authorities sent a snow ambulance and a helicopter to the

village.

Harsh weather conditions prevented the helicopter from landing in the

village so it was sent to the Bahçesaray Gendarmerie landing spot.  The

snow ambulance reached Altıntaş and brought Miyeser hanım and her

baby to Bahçesaray, from where they were taken to Van Regional 

Training and Research Hospital by helicopter.  

Miyeser hanım's condition is said to be good but the newborn's health

is in jeopardy. 

Bahçesaray district is southwest of Van city.

"Beat & Release": A Strange Stranger Randomly Stabs 10 People, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 January 2024)

Knife in hand, he's about to ruin the day for 10 people.

Abdullah Ören, who has a police record of 14 crimes, randomly stabbed

10 people on the streets of Esenyurt, Istanbul, the day before yesterday.

Those injured included Çiğdem K., Yusuf Aykut A., Mehmet Ü., Ayhan

P., Harun A., Rojhat S., Murat A., Muhammed T., Efe Can U. and Yaser

E.  The conditions of Rojhat S. and Murat A. are said to be serious. Ören 

also threw rocks at some windows of homes. 

Police arrested Ören and learned that he had also disrupted a doctor's 

office at the Çam ve Sakura City Hospital two days before.   

In his statement Ören "explained" that "I've been living on the street for a 

year.  I went to my old neighborhood to find my parents whom I haven't

seen for a long while.  I rang the doorbell but no one answered.  I got

mad and stabbed people I encountered." (!)

"Beat & Release": "Crownless King"'s Cold Murder Case Solved 18 Years Later, in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 27 January 2024)

 Crownless King's assassins nabbed, better late than never.

On 25 October 2006 strollers in Doğa Park in Bursa's Yıldırım district 

noticed a motionless body and called the authorities.  It was determined

that the victim had been stabbed and shot to death.  The victim had a 

tattoo on his right leg that read "Taçsız Kral" (King Without a Crown)

but his identity could not be immediately discovered. 

On 27 October, firefighters responded to a fire on the second floor of a

two-story building in Osmangazi district.  The burning flat belonged to

Tuncay Türk (22), who was identified as the murder victim found two

days before.  The killers were not found and the case remained unsolved 

for these past 18 years. 

                     Less-than-royal final resting place.

However (!), police reopened the case, suspecting that Türk's girlfriend's

family had been involved in the murder.  Z.A. (40), already in prison for

drug dealing, and his close friend Y.K. (40) were taken into custody.  Y.K.

confessed to Türk's killing and explained that the flat was burned in order

to destroy evidence.  Y.K. told police that he along with Z.A., R.A. (53) 

and İ.K. (50) had killed Türk and burned his flat.  

Suspects R.A. and İ.K. have since died.   Z.A. confessed that on the night 

of 24 October 2006 the suspects forcibly took Türk from his flat and killed 

him in Doğa Park.  Z.A. was re-arrested and Y.K. was put under house

arrest. (!)

"Rabbit & Release": 32 of 100 Stranded Rabbits Saved by Good Humans, in Ankara

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 January 2024)

All rabbits are good. As for humans, there are still a few left.

The sight of nearly 100 rabbits left along a highway in Ankara sparked 

panic among rabbit-lovers, who worked day and night to save as many

of the creatures as possible.  32 were rescued. 

On 19 January the Patikara Association got word that about 100 rabbits

were stranded at the Temelli location on the autobahn in Ankara.  This

news prompted Patikara members and other animal-lovers to head for 

Temelli, where they encountered the rabbits and tried their best to round 

up as many as possible with nets, traps and other means in harsh weather 

and rough terrain conditions.  32 were saved, including two baby rabbits.

Patikara chief Yağmur Hasdemir explained that "we think that an illegal

rabbit breeder abandoned the animals because they looked to be well-

cared for.  The surviving 32 rabbits have been taken to clinics and will

be neutered before being given to trusted rabbit farms.  One of the 

rabbits we rescued two days ago gave birth to two babies in a clinic."

How sweet it is!

"Beat & Release": Armed Group Attacks Nightclub in "Peaceful" Neighborhood, in Istanbul

 //internet Turkish original unavailable//

Should have taken that other fare to the airport :(

Yesterday morning at about 5 o'clock, five individuals entered a music

hall/nightclub in the Huzur (which means "peace of mind") neighborhood 

of Sarıyer, Istanbul.  Nightclub employees, seeing that the visitors had 

guns in their belts, asked them to leave.  An argument ensued but the 

group left, albeit unwillingly. 

However (!), shortly thereafter the group returned on motorcycles and

sprayed the nightclub with gunfire before fleeing.  Police were summoned

but the group returned and exchanged gunfire with the police.  Two 

policemen and two nightclub employees were injured, while taxi driver

Mehmet Sabır Çalışoğlu (44) died from his gunshot wounds.  

Shop owners in the vicinity noted that such incidents are frequent at the

nightclub, resulting in "huzursuzluk" (absence of peace of mind) in the

area. 

Mis-named.

"Beat & Release": Elderly Hoarder Found Dead; 10 Truckloads of Refuse Removed, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 January 2024)

                                  No way in or out.

Relatives of Hasan Ergin (85), who lived on the second floor of a 

10-story apartment building in Avcılar, Istanbul,  could not reach

him for 5 days so on Sunday they called the building manager for

help. The manager knocked on Ergin's door but there was no response,

although he noted a foul smell emanating from the flat.  

Police were alerted and came to enter the retired mathematics teacher's 

flat but were confronted with refuse and old clothes piled to the ceiling.  

Firefighters broke down the front door but it was blocked by refuse, so 

police broke a window and entered the flat that way.  No one was found 

inside the flat, prompting the police to leave.

Representative photo (!)

Nevertheless, the foul smell continued to bother neighbors who 

called Ergin's relatives.  Police returned to the flat but could still

find no sign of Ergin.  Later, though, at about 10 o'clock at night

Ergin's nephews, who were discarding the clothes piled at the 

front door, found his body.  A police forensics examination 

determined that Ergin had died five days before.  

One way out.

Teams from the Avcılar Municipality's Cleaning Affairs Directorate

arrived wearing special protective clothing and carted away 10

truckloads of refuse and old clothes. (!)

"Beat & Release": She Came Home With Newborn Baby, Husband Stabbed Her 17 Times, in Mardin

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 January 2024)

                          No comment...except  :(

Last Friday, Vatfa Ecevit (25) gave birth to a child at Mardin Training

and Research Hospital and was released the day before yesterday.  

Vatfa hanım went with her newborn to her home in the rural village of 

Dara in Artuklu district of Mardin, where that evening an argument 

erupted with her husband Şiyar Ecevit, who proceeded to stab her 17 

times (!). 

Police and medics were summoned by relatives and Şiyar Ecevit was

taken into custody.  Vatfa hanım was taken back to the same hospital

where she gave birth to her second child last Friday, and died there.  

Şiyar Ecevit was charged with murder and jailed.  In his statement, he

"explained" that he argued with his wife when she came from the

hospital and then went out to take drugs.  Upon his return home the

argument continued and the "incident" occurred. 

Mardin Bar Association President İsmail Elik noted that "there have

been two murders committed in Artuklu in the past month.  It ought

not be the case that murders of women are taken for granted." (!)

"Beat & Release": Another Bloody Rent Dispute, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 21 January 2024)

                               Rent at your own risk.

In Sarıyer, Istanbul, Serkan Kaptan (42) was living in the home of 

the father of Kerem Gürgensuyu (40) as a renter.  A disagreement

between Kaptan and Gürgensuyu about the amount of the rent came

to court.  On 23 May 2023, Gürgensuyu went to see Kaptan at his

father's house, with the former raining down death threats about the 

latter, according to witnesses. 

Kaptan's wife would not allow Gürgensuyu into the house.  When

Kaptan came home he and his wife decided to register a complaint

against Gürgensuy at the local police station.  While the couple 

waited at a bus stop, Gürgensuyu came from behind and stabbed 

Kaptan a number of times. (!)

A case was opened against Gürgensuyu for the stabbing attack.

At the court hearing the two came face to face.  Kaptan recalled

that Gürgensuyu had stabbed him three times, requiring him to stay

for a while in intensive care, and he opined that his attacker was not

remorseful.  For his part, Gürgensuyu claimed "self-defense" (!)

The judge asked Gügensuyu "If you're released will you attack him

again?"  In reply, the penitent Gürgensuyu said "No sir! Such a thing

will not happen!"   As a result, the judge ordered Gürgensuyu's release

with the stipulation that he remain 200 meters from Kaptan at all 

times - "Otherwise you'll be incarcerated again."

"Beach & Release": Gruesome, Mysterious Body Count Along the Shore, in Antalya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 21 January 2024)

                       Life's (and death's) a beach. 

Two bodies were found on the shore of Antalya's Manavgat district and

another on a Serik district beach.  The first bad news came from Çenger

village of Manavgat district when strollers on the beach encountered

a dead body at 1 o'clock in the afternoon yesterday and alerted the 

Gendarmerie.  The body, without any ID, was taken to the Antalya 

police forensic lab.

About 30 minutes later another body was found on the beach at Denizken

village, about 40 kilometers from Çenger village.  Niether the sex nor the

identity of the body could be determined.  On the shore in Kadriye village 

of Serik district citizens encountered a woman's dead body and alerted

the authorities.  On the chance that the body might be that of Merve

Şevval Elmas (18), who disappeared in Antalya 12 days ago, her family

was asked to provide DNA samples. 

The three bodies found on the Antalya shore yesterday were in addition

to another two bodies found last Wednesday.  So, in four days five dead

bodies were encountered along a 73-kilometer stretch of the shores of 

Antalya's Manavgat, Serik and Alanya districts.  Last Wednesday a 

body of undetermined sex, without its head and an arm, was discovered

on the beach at Çenger village.  That same day the body of a child, with

the upper portion of the body missing, was found on the shore at Alanya's 

Konaklı village. 

Serik district of Antalya province is just west of Manavgat.

"Beat & Release": Dad Stifles Son's Basketball Dreams and Pays With His Life, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 20 January 2024)

                   Father knows best...sometimes.

15-year-old K.K. plays on the Galatasaray High School basketball team

in Istanbul and never misses watching NBA and Euroleague games on TV.

He lives with his family in Sancaktepe district but his schoolwork had 

been suffering lately because of his extreme interest in basketball.  As a

result, his father, lawyer Fatih Gürbüz K., told K.K. that he could not 

play on the team until his grades improved. 

The evening before last father and son had another argument about this

issue, with Fatih Gürbüz K. forbidding his son to play on the team. The 

angry young K.K. secluded himself in his room.  Yesterday at 6 o'clock

in the morning, K.K. was leaving for school with his mother but told

her he had to go back to their flat to retrieve something.  At this point,

he stabbed his sleeping father 20 times and when he didn't return his

mother came to the flat to find her husband in a pool of blood. 

The mother called police and medics but it was too late for Fatih Gürbüz

bey.  K.K. was taken into police custody and in his statement he 

"explained" that "my father forbade me to play basketball because my

grades were bad and he took me off the team.  I got angry and that's why

this happened."

"Beat & Release": "Uzi" Replacing "Pompalı Tüfenk" as Woman-killer?, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 January 2024)

                   "I have enemies, especially myself."

The evening before last in Bayrampaşa, Istanbul, Nazlı Elmas (20) 

went to the home of her boyfriend Eniz Kurtuluş (25).  Soon, the sound

of rapid-fire gunfire was heard coming from the flat because Kurtuluş

had fired an Uzi revolver, generally used for assassinations, at Nazlı 

hanım, who sustained wounds in her legs and midsection.  She was 

taken unconscious to a hospital, where she remains in critical 

condition.

Police found Kurtuluş's Uzi and empty cartridges in the flat, nabbing

Kurtuluş himself on a street in the neighborhood.  At the police station

Kurtuluş, who has a police record, "explained" that "I got the Uzi 

because I have enemies.  There was no one else in the flat.  While I

was examing the gun it went in to rapid-fired mode by accident (!)

and I saw that Nazlı had been hit so I called 112 (911).  It was an

accident."  

Nevertheless, Kurtuluş was charged with attempted murder and 

illegal drug use and was jailed. 

Bayrampaşa district of Istanbul

"Beat & Release": Did Her "Lighting Beauty" Get Her Off, After She Fled Accident Scene?, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 18 January 2024)

Judges declined to elaborate on "discretionary" reduction.

Hmmmmm....

In Esenler, Istanbul, on 1 February 2023 Ferdi Ağdaş hit a road barrier

and a police team came to his assistance.  Ağdaş was uninjured and 

policeman Muhammet Bektaş began to fill out the forms related to the

accident.  However (!), a car driven by Berivan Yıldırım (whose surname

means "lightning")  came speeding along and crashed into the police 

car parked in the emergency shoulder lane of the road. 

Ağdaş was killed and Bektaş was injured but Berivan hanım fled without 

stopping.  Since she fled no alcohol test could be administered to her.

However, police determined from witnesses and video images that Berivan

hanım had been consuming alcohol prior to the crash.  She was jailed but

in court she stated that "I did not drink alcohol. That day it was snowing

and since my speed was 110 kph (about 70 mph) this accident happened."

Nevertheless, the public prosecutor took note of Berivan hanım's driver-

candidate status and her alcohol drinking, her disregard for adverse 

weather conditions, and the fact that she fled the scene to request a 

22.5-year jail sentence.   

Berivan hanım continued to insist that "it was an accident. I want to be 

released."  The court committee decided on a "takdiri indirim" 

(discretionary reduction) of the sentence to 5 years, seized her license for 

two years and, based on the nature of the accident and time served, 

released her (!!).  

A member of the court committee objected to Berivan hanım's release,

citing the fact that she fled the scene, leaving an injured victim there,

and opined that she did not deserve the "takdiri indirim".   

"Beat & Release": Another Victim of "Smoking in Bed", in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 January 2024)

Life's contradictions: sports club manager, yet a smoker. 

In Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Nazlı Hilal Yalman (32), who lived alone in a flat

on the ground floor of  a 5-story apartment building, worked as the 

assistant manager of the Macfit Sports Salon in the Kanyon shopping

center.  Last Friday night at about 2 o'clock in the morning smoke was

seen rising from her flat, prompting neighbors to summon firefighters. 

The fire was put out in short order but the firefighters who entered the

flat found Nazlı Hilal hanım dead on a sofa bed.  Her body was sent to

the police forensics lab for examination.  

Meanwhile, police gathered statements from friends who visited Nazlı

Hilal hanım from time to time and, looking at security videos, they did

not see any suspicious persons entering or leaving the building, either

before or after the fire.  Ultimately, police and firefighters determined

that a cigarette had caused the fire (!).  

Her family took Nazlı Hilal's body from the forensics lab to Bursa for

burial.  In 1997, her father Feyyaz Yalman, a senior police officer in the

Van Security Directorate's anti-terror unit, died from a heart attack while

on duty.

Required reading. Alas, it's too late.

"Beat & Release": Child Bride Killed by Rejected Suitor, in Aksaray

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 January 2024)

The question remains: why is a 15-year-old being married off?!

In Aksaray on 3 December Melike Arıbaş (15!) went with her family in

a convoy for a "kına gecesi" (the night before a wedding when the bride-

to-be is taken to a public bath and her fingers and toes are tinged with

henna).  However (!), as Melike alighted from a car she was shot in the

head by Muhammet Kılıç (22) to whom she had been engaged a year ago 

for 3 months.  Her father Doğanay Arıbaş (42) was hit in his neck by the 

gunshots.  

Kılıç's gun jammed but he had another, with which he resumed firing on

the guests but none of them were hit.  Melike was taken to a hospital where

she died and her father was treated and released.  Kılıç was taken into 

custody by police and at his subsequent trial he "explained" that "I wanted

to marry Melike but her family wouldn't give permission so I got mad and

did some wrong things like putting Melike's semi-obscene pictures on the

internet (!).  On the day of the incident, I encountered the convoy by chance

and followed it.  Since I have a flock of sheep and enemies, I always carry 

a gun.  When Melike got out of the car I tried to turn away but I succumbed

to my anger.  Then, when the guest cursed me, I got even madder and shot

at them."

During the court hearing, father Doğanay Arıbaş screamed "child killer" at

Kılıç, prompting a rain of curses from Kılıç, which prompted Arıbaş's 

relatives to get rowdy and police to intervene.  Kılıç was removed from the 

courtroom but will appear in court henceforth by video link.

Arıbaş noted that "Kılıç was roaming around our house armed with a gun

and with his family members.  A bit later they fired on our house.  Before

this incident (Melike's death) we had logged 10 complaints against them

and tried to get this resolved for 7 months, without success.  They wanted

not just to kill Melike but to wipe out our entire family."

"Beat & Release": Unpronounceable Name Can't Save Drug Dealer from Arrest, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 14 January 2024)

                                Double Dutch Treat.

Drug trafficker, Jos Leijdekkers, a.k.a. "Fat Jos" and "The President",

was running a drug gang in Holland.  Jos Leijdekkers was being sought

by the EU for many crimes, including the torture death of Naima Jillal

in Amsterdam.  "Fat Jos" assigned his brother Wilhelmus Adrianus

Leijdekkers the job of laundering the gang's ill-gotten gains.  

Intelligence sources indicated that Wilhelmus Adrianus Leijdekkers 

was residing at a luxury residence in Istanbul and in a raid the day before 

yesterday Leijdekkers was taken into custody. 

Even Superman had problems with unpronounceable villains.

"Beat & Release": Firefighters Both Demanded and Paid Bribes, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 13 January 2024)

  As usual, a foreign mastermind was at the plot's helm.

In Istanbul, a number of officials from the municipal fire department 

demanded bribes from store owners even though the owners' paperwork 

was in order for them to open their establishments.  Complaints were 

filed with the Büyükçekmece public prosecutor and an investigation 

began.

Investigators determined that the fire department officials demanded

45,000 TL (about $1,500) from the store owners and those who didn't

pay up were denied approval to open or their openings were delayed.

The fire department officials, in turn, paid monthly bribes to officials 

of the Istanbul municipality to obtain special codes for access to a 

private data base of some kind (probably related to their own bribe 

caper).   So the fire department officials were both demanding and 

paying bribes (!).  

Yesterday, raids were conducted in Istanbul and Kayseri, resulting in 

3 Istanbul firefighters, a retired firefighter and an Istanbul municipality 

health technician, along with 15 others, being taken into custody and

interrogated.  Efforts are underway to arrest two other individuals.

Things didn't always go as planned...

"Eat & Release": American Akita Dog Bit Off Woman's Ear, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 January 2024)

                         Woman's best friend (NOT!)

In Etiler, Istanbul, at nine-forty-five on the night of 31 September 2019 

Denise Morra (31) wanted to pet Gökhan Beder's American Akita dog.

The dog licked Denise hanım's face amiably but when Beder pulled the

dog's leash suddenly and forcefully, putting the animal in attack mode,

the dog bit off Denise hanım's ear. (!)

Her frantic search, while screaming from pain, for the ear was successful

and it was put in a bucket of ice.  After three operations the ear is back in

its rightful place.  However (!), Beder has never apologized nor asked 

about Denise hanım's health since the incident.  Consequently, her lawyer

Haldun Ergun has filed a suit asking for 4,000 TL (about $130) for 

physical compensation and 200,000 TL (about $6,600) for mental anguish. 

Plus interest!

"Beat & Release": One Month Into Their Third-Each Marriage, She Stabs Hubby to Death, in Izmir

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 10 January 2024)

                                 3rd time's a charm?

In Bornova, Izmir, pet shop manager Fırat Bozkurt (42) and Şirin Bozkurt

(47), a health technician, married a month ago, each for the third time in 

their lives.  However (!), yesterday at one-thirty in the morning they got 

into an argument at their home and Şirin hanım stabbed Fırat bey in his 

chest.

Hearing the commotion, neighbors called the police, who arrived at the

scene with medics. They found Fırat bey dead in a pool of blood.  Police

learned that Şirin hanım's 18-year-old son Ç. G., from a previous marriage,

was in the house during the incident.  Şirin hanım sent him to alert the 

neighbors after he had rushed into the living room to see Fırat bey lying

dead on the floor.  Both Şirin hanım and Ç.C. were taken into custody by

police. 

After processing at a police station, Şirin hanım was jailed and Ç.G. was

released.  In her statement, Şirin hanım explained that the couple had 

argued while at a nightclub over jealousy, after which they went first to

her home and then to Fırat bey's.  As her husband began to gather up

her belongings, he grabbed her by the throat and hit her, prompting Şirin

hanım to take a knife and stab him in self-defense. 

Nope.