A decision has been made in the case that has been going on for years regarding the death of Sema Esen, publicly known as "Aleyna Çakır". Ankara 34th High Criminal Court sentenced the defendant Ümitcan Uygun to 4 years in prison for "inciting suicide and strengthening the decision to commit suicide". Uygun was acquitted of the crime of "torture".
Following the decision, Esen family's lawyer Umur Yıldırım pointed out that there were still many questions in the file awaiting answers. Yıldırım stated that their requests for discovery at the scene and examination of HTS and base records were rejected, and said, "The main issue is that there are still unanswered questions in the trial regarding the death of a young woman."
BATHROBE ROPE DETAIL
Yıldırım stated that they repeatedly requested discovery at the scene throughout the trial and that they wanted the physical conditions of the incident to be examined at the location where Esen's body was found.
Yıldırım stated that they requested an investigation into whether it is physically possible to end a person's life, especially by squeezing a robe rope between the door.
However, Yıldırım said that this request was not accepted and that the decision stage was reached before the contradictions in the file could be resolved.
“Would someone who is about to commit suicide put their phone on charge?”
Yıldırım said that some of the behaviors that Esen committed on the day he died should also be investigated.
Stating that Esen left his cigarette unfinished, put his phone on charge and set up a table for three people, Yıldırım argued that these details should be evaluated in terms of a suicide claim.
Yıldırım said, "For a person who is considering suicide to quit smoking a cigarette, to put his phone on charge just before his death, or to set a table waiting to be sat at, is incompatible with the normal flow of life."
The lawyer said that no research was conducted to shed light on these issues and that the contradictions in question could not be resolved at the sentencing stage.
WHERE WAS THE NIGHT OF THE EVENT?
Another question awaiting an answer in the file is where Ümitcan Uygun was on the night of the incident. Yıldırım stated that the defendant was at home with his family and had phone calls with his family members at the times he said. He said that there were contradictions in the statements of the defendant and his family members at different stages.
Stating that they directly asked about this contradiction at the verdict hearing, Yıldırım said, "Why did you feel the need to call the family members who you claimed were in the same house, perhaps even the same room?" He stated that they asked the question but did not receive an answer.
Yıldırım said that their requests to investigate the phone numbers related to the night of the incident and to conduct base investigations with HTS were also rejected.
VIOLENCE IMAGES IN FILE
One of the most striking parts of the decision was Uygun's acquittal on the charge of "torture". Reminding that the images of Esen being beaten and knocked unconscious by Uygun were broadcast live on social media, Yıldırım stated that there is also a voice recording in the file of the moments when Esen asked for help while being subjected to violence at home.
Stating that the witnesses heard at the hearing explained that Esen was systematically subjected to physical and psychological violence by Uygun, Yıldırım said that when all this evidence was evaluated together, they had difficulty in understanding the acquittal decision given for the crime of torture.
“4 YEARS ARE NOT AVAILABLE”
Yıldırım stated that the 4-year prison sentence given for the crime of "inciting suicide and strengthening the decision to commit suicide" was also applied at the lower limit.
Arguing that this sentence would result in the defendant's release in a short time in terms of execution, Yıldırım said that their requests for the defendant's arrest during the trial were not accepted.
“THE STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS”
Yıldırım emphasized that for them, the file is not just about the amount of punishment given. Yıldırım said, “We never wanted a ruling to be made in advance in this file,” and stated that their main demand was for the truth to be revealed in all its aspects.
Yıldırım said, "Justice is not limited to just a 'decision'. Real justice is revealing the truth without leaving any question marks in the public." Stating that Sema Esen is no longer alive but question marks regarding her death continue, Yıldırım said that the file will be moved to a higher court.
