Father of killed woman cries out against court ruling

ISTANBUL

The father of Pınar Gültekin, who was brutally murdered by her boyfriend Cemal Metin Avcı two years ago, has voiced his anger towards the court’s decision of decreasing the murderer’s sentence based on an ”unjust provocation discount.”

“I just want to cry out and say ‘Enough.’ Because I go crazy when I think about the ruling,” Sıddık Gülten said in an interview with the daily Milliyet on June 24.

“I am a father whose daughter was burned alive to death. I just want the decision-makers to put themselves in my shoes just for five minutes,” he said. “I am sure, their reaction will be worse than mine.”

Gültekin, a 27-year-old student, went missing in the southwestern province of Muğla on July 16, 2020.

Five days later, Avcı confessed that he had strangled her to death before burning her body and dumping it in a forest, after mounting evidence against him.

The report from the Forensic Medicine Institute had revealed that Gültekin was burned alive.

Avcı was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment. However, his sentence was then reduced to 23 years based on “unjust provocation” on June 20, stirring a public debate.

“I followed all the hearings. I came to Muğla from [the eastern province of] Bitlis. But in every hearing, I lost my belief in justice,” the tearful father said. “We were disappointed with the decision. We were expecting some 15 years plus the aggravated life imprisonment.”

“Those decision-makers will be needing justice one day, too.”

According to the father, “all malefactors make the same defense,” saying that the murdered “deceived” or “mocked about his manhood.”

“My daughter will not come back. But from now on, I will fight for all the women of the country,” he added.

On June 23, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ also joined the angry public, highlighting that lawmakers should discuss the “unjust provocation discount.”