Court acquits 'abusive' father: ‘Child didn’t lose her virginity’

* Photo: Zeynep Kuray

Click to read the article in Turkish

Şükrü Şengül killed his wife Döndü Şengül in the middle of the street in the capital city of Ankara on February 18, 2019.

After this feminicide, it was understood that he killed his wife because she filed a criminal complaint against him, alleging that Şükrü Şengül had sexually abused their six-year-old daughter.

Man's attorneys appealed to upper court

Charged with "premeditated, wilful murder", Şükrü Şengül had his final hearing at the Ankara 5th Heavy Penal Corut on January 15, 2020.

The court board ruled that defendant Şükrü Şengül should be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment on charge of "wilful murder of spouse." On December 17, 2019, Şengül was sentenced to 30 years in prison on charge of "child abuse" by the Ankara 1st Heavy Penal Court. The man's attorneys appealed to the upper court against this verdict.

Criminal complaint against judges

At the hearing held by the 17th Penal Chamber of Ankara Regional Court of Justice yesterday (October 21), the court board has reversed the 30-year prison sentence on the grounds that "the child did not lose her virginity." Şükrü Şengül has been acquitted.

Lawyer and Chair of the Children and Women First Association Müjde Tozbey-Erden, who has been following the case, has stated that they have filed a criminal complaint against the judges for "misconduct in office."

She has shared the following information about the issue:

"Döndü was killed by her husband in Ankara in early 2019. Before she was murdered, Döndü had been subjected to severe violence by her husband for years. However, each time, she did not divorce because of poverty.

"The daughter of Döndü told her mother that her father had touched between her legs under the pretext of putting her to sleep and threatened her with death if she told her mother about it. Upon hearing this, Döndü went to a police station with her 5-month-old baby and little girl.

"The father was detained at first; but, after it was seen that the little girl did not lose her virginity, it was said that Döndü and the girl cast slurs on the father and he was released. A few days after he was released, the father killed Döndü while she was taking her daughter to school.

'Child brought to courtroom'

"We pursued the struggle that Döndü had started for his little daughter. We first ensured that the murderer was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment on charge of 'wilful murder of spouse' for killing Döndü.

"Then, we ensure that the father was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing his little daughter.

"Today, the sexual abuse case of Döndü's little daughter was heard at the Ankara Regional Court of Justice; the case was heard by the upper court and a hearing was held.

"Even though we objected during the hearing, the little girl was brought to the courtroom. In fact, the camera footage should have been watched or she should have been heard in company with a pedagogue.

"However, the little girl was asked questions about sexual abuse before the eyes of several people, thereby being traumatized again.

'He can be released in 6-7 years'

"Though the pedagogue and we referred to the report prepared by the Ankara University indicating that 'the child was suicidal due to the trauma of sexual abuse and the effects of this trauma,' she was traumatized again.

"The child was brought face to face with the father for the first time after a very long time. Then, a ruling of acquittal was given for the father by indicating that the child and Döndü, who was killed by him, cast slurs on the father and the child still had her virginity.

"As for the consequences of this... First of all, due to this ruling of acquittal, the father will have the parental right over the little girl. Moreover, by alleging that Döndü cast aspersions on him, he can benefit from provisions on unjust provocation. In that case, the murderer will be able to leave prison after serving 6-7 years behind bars." (EMK/SD)