Turkish actor Kural sentenced to 16 months in domestic violence case

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has sentenced Turkish actor Ahmet Kural to 16 months and 20 days in prison for “insulting, threatening and deliberately injuring” the famous singer Sıla Gençoğlu, known more popularly as Sıla. The court has suspended the sentence.

The ruling was handed down on April 22 following the second hearing of the domestic violence case.

At the hearing, Kural said he was “innocent” and demanded his acquittal.

Following the court’s ruling, Gençoğlu told reporters that she very happy and “thanked” the Turkish judiciary. “[The ruling] is reassuring for all women who have been in this position or can in the future. This was a very hard and traumatic period for me. I have been exposed to all kinds of slanders,” Gençoğlu said, referring to previous claims that she was lying about being physically and psychologically abused by Kural.

“Even if you are powerful against all these [slanders], it is not in fact very easy to stay strong. But this justice served today has strengthened me. To stay silent [against domestic abuse] is not acceptable. I advise everyone to be a bit courageous. I believe that the justice system is very fair,” she said.

Following the court’s ruling, Kural again denied having physically abused Sıla. “There is still appeal court. This thing is not over. On the contrary, it is she [Gençoğlu] that is inclined toward violence,” he said.

Asked by reporters if Kural would be jailed, his lawyer Sibel Aydın said: “It is now out of the case that Ahmet Kural will be jailed, his sentence has been suspended and it has not been converted into a monetary fine.”

According to media reports, in Gençoğlu’s account of the incident that took place on Oct. 29, 2018 at her then-boyfriend Kural’s house, she was subjected to heavy physical assault.

Gençoğlu later filed a criminal complaint in Istanbul last year against Kural, alleging that he had battered her and dragged her on the ground. She also claimed that Kural had banged her head against the wall.

Kural’s fame had extended beyond Turkey’s borders through highly popular TV series including Bir Bulut Olsam (If I were a cloud) and Gençoğlu’s albums have topped Turkish charts and has been one of the most streamed singers in leading music platforms since 2016.