Child abuse case hearing postponed yet again

ISTANBUL

The highly publicized case involving the forced marriage of a 6-year-old girl took a new turn on Oct. 9 when the hearing was postponed further to two weeks.

The decision was made by the court panel, granting the new defense team of defendant Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel additional time to prepare their arguments before the trial resumes on Oct. 23.

This development follows the resignation of Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel's previous lawyer, which also caused a delay in the legal proceedings.

Previously, the woman, identified only by initials H.K.G., claimed that her father, head of the İsmailağa Jamia-affiliated Hiranur Foundation, set up her imam marriage in 2004, when she was only 6.

The case has gripped the nation's attention since the first hearing on Jan. 30. Kadir İstekli, the sect member who was married to the girl, faces charges of sexual abuse of a child and aggravated sexual assault, with a minimum prison sentence of 30 years.

Additionally, the victim's father as well as her mother, Fatıma Gümüşel, are facing charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, with a minimum prison sentence of 18 years, according to the indictment prepared by the chief public prosecutor's office.

The victim said in her lawsuit that the sect member’s marriage to her was portrayed to her as “child play” and that she had years of sexual assault as a youngster, something she just came to terms with as an adult.