Feminicide | Man sentenced to 10 years in prison over the death of Esra Hankulu

"We don't want to die" (Photo: csgorselarsiv/Emre Orman)

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In the trial over the death of Esra Hankulu, the final hearing was held at the Ankara 9th High Criminal Court today (April 13).

The hearing was attended by arrested defendant Ümitcan U. and the lawyers of the parties while the other defendants who were not arrested, Dilan Civelek and Furkan Gürgil, were not present in the courtroom.

The presiding judge said that the prosecutor pronounced the final opinion as to the accusations and the defense as to this opinion would be heard today.

Taking the floor at the hearing, defendant U. said that he reiterated his previous statements and argued that he had not killed anyone. "The truth will be revealed sooner or later. I am not guilty," he said.

The lawyer of the defendant also alleged that the final opinion as to the accusations was presented without the crime scene footage being watched. Accordingly, the lawyer further argued that the request for the penalization of U. at the upper limit cannot be a basis for the judgment:

"On the day of the incident, Esra was still alive. It is also reflected in the evidence. So, accusing my client of murder will be unfair."

The lawyers of the other defendants also said that their clients were not guilty and requested that Civelek and Gürgil be acquitted.

Handing down its ruling after the recess, the court board has ruled that defendant U. shall be sentenced to 10 years in prison on charge of "aggravated injury considering its results". U. will remain in prison.

Charged with "spoliation of evidence", defendants Furkan Gürgil and Dilan Civelek had reduced prison sentences of 1 year, 6 months each and the pronouncement of the verdict has been suspended.

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What happened?

According to the indictment of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the police teams who went to the house in Ankara's Mamak on August 3, 2021 confirmed that 25-year-old Esra Hankulu had lost her life. Afterwards, staying at the same house with Hankulu, Ümitcan U., Furkan Gürgil and Dilan Civelek were taken into custody over the incident.

Defendant U. was facing aggravated life sentence for "wilful killing of a person unable to defend oneself" while defendants Gürgil and Civelek were facing up to 5 years in prison for "spoliation of evidence". (EMK/SD)