Turkish bus assistant admits masturbating on passenger as company apologizes

“I was tempted and I did it,” the bus assistant, identified only by the initials G.G., reportedly told company officials after the latter warned him that the forensic medicine report would reveal the truth. 

The confession prompted Metro Turizm board members to admit the incident, which caused huge public outrage in Turkey, and apologize to both the public and the passenger, identified only by the initials C.D. 
“At first, we didn’t think it was possible. It sounded surreal because you cannot imagine something like this happening in a bus full of people,” board member Mustafa Yıldırım told Hürriyet, describing the attack as a “sick incident.”

As soon as reports of the assault surfaced on May 25, Metro Turizm chairperson Çiğdem Öztürk spoke to Turkish news portal Oda TV and said it was unacceptable for her, “as a woman executive,” to accept such an incident. 

“Believe me, we are not on the same side with this immoral person,” Öztürk said, adding that the firm would adopt all legal means available to ensure the assailant is heavily punished. 

The company also posted an apology on its website, stressing that the issue was being carefully monitored and ensuring that all necessary measures will be taken to avoid a repetition of the assault.  

“We have severed our relationship with the employee in question and the matter has been referred to legal authorities for a thorough investigation,” the company stated.

However, the honorary chairperson and founder of Metro Holding, Galip Öztürk, made contradictory statements on his Twitter account late on May 25, accusing the “parallel structure” of trying to “take on Metro.” The “parallel structure” is a term used by Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to refer to followers of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who they accuse of attempting to overthrow the government. 

“Parallel scum. We know you are traitors and you are trying to take on [Metro Turizm] for the salvation of [the Gülen movement]. I wouldn’t expect anything else from you,” Öztürk said in a tweet, sharing videos and urging his followers to watch them in order to learn about the “parallel plot he had been going through.”

Meanwhile, protesters from the We Will Stop Femicides Platform gathered in front of Metro Turizm’s offices in the northwestern province of Eskişehir, demanding that those responsible for the assault be tried. 

“The bus assistant was released after he testified. Us, women, are asking here, will we not be able to travel on a bus anymore?” a member of the platform, Özge Uyanık, asked during the protest. 

The incident in question happened early on May 24 when G.G. allegedly started masturbating near C.D. while she was asleep during a bus journey from the Aegean province of Muğla. 

According to the statements of C.D.’s boyfriend, identified only as Kerem G., she awoke upon hearing noises and saw the suspect masturbating in front of her, just before he ejaculated. 

“She was sleeping at the time of the incident. The seat next to her was empty, but there were people sitting in front and behind her. Half of the bus was full,” said Kerem G., adding that C.D. screamed after realizing what happened. 

“The sperm hit her and the seat she was sitting on. A female lawyer who was on the same bus then helped my friend and they notified the gendarmerie [at the next bus stop],” he added. 

The gendarmerie team reportedly investigated the incident and then detained the suspect.