Family faces jail time after deadly exorcism ritual

ANKARA

Members of a family in the Turkish capital are facing murder charges in a case of a deadly exorcism ritual.

Özge Nur Tekin, 30, died last year after she was taken to a hospital following her sudden passing out. However, doctors alerted security forces when they discovered bruises on the back and arms of the victim.

An investigation revealed that Tekin died after an exorcism ritual of a djinn, a supernatural creature that is interpreted as an evil spirit in Islamic theology. Six defendants, including the victim’s husband, Selçuk Tekin, and her parents, were detained.

Selçuk Tekin said his wife had been suffering from psychological problems and was told by the family members that she might be “harmed by a djinn.”

Later, Selçuk Tekin sought help from a man living in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri who introduced himself as an exorcist.

“The guy told me to sacrifice an animal and later hit her [the victim] back lightly 100 times with a stick. He also instructed me to get her undergo cupping therapy,” Tekin said, adding that his wife slept peacefully after all but passed out suddenly when she woke up.

Prosecutors are seeking prison terms between 12 and 18 years for the defendants after a forensic report revealed that the victim died of internal bleeding due to “soft tissue trauma,” confirming the allegations of beating.

Released on condition of judicial control, the suspects are expected to appear in court in the coming days.