Court dismisses charges for beating alleged exhibitionist

Ceylan Sever - ISTANBUL

A court in Istanbul dismissed charges against two men who had allegedly beat a man for exposing himself to a woman and her 17-year-old daughter in Istanbul’s Bahçelievler district.

The court also ruled the 28-year-old man who is said to be suffering from bipolar disorder should provide a medical report proving he is not of sound mind to stand trial.

The man dropped his pants and exposed himself to the mother and daughter in a park in July last year. He reportedly tried to escape when the women started to shout, but people at the scene intervened and caught him.

The three men, who managed to apprehend the alleged perpetrator, battered him. The court decided to dismiss the charges against them.

The man claimed he had actually been tidying up his pants and had not exposed himself. “When I heard a dog barking, I ran,” he said in his defense, dismissing accusations of exhibitionism.

His lawyer said he had psychological problems.

“He has received treatment at the Bakırköy Psychiatric Hospital. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. But the hospital did not produce a report about his mental illness,” the lawyer told the court.

During the court hearing, the daughter claimed the person in question dropped his pants without saying anything while they were walking by the park.

“He did not have underpants. He came very close to us. His shoulders were touching mine. People started to gather around as I started to yell,” she said.

The judge referred the man to the forensic medicine institute to determine whether his disorder would have any impact on his criminal capacity.

Although the man has been released, a criminal case has been opened against him on charges of sexual harassment through exhibitionism. He faces up to five years in prison.