Two suspects, including a minor, detained for latest murder of transsexual woman in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Çağla Joker, a 26-year-old transgender, was the victim of the latest homophobic attack targeting the LGBT community in Istanbul. DHA Photo

The police detained two teenagers on April 24 as part of the investigation into the attack on two transsexual women in Istanbul this week.

Çağla Joker, 26, was killed and her friend Nalan, 45, was injured in the attack, which took place in Istanbul’s central Beyoğlu district, in the latest episode of violence targeting the LGBT community.

The two suspects, identified only as H.T., 17, and T.M., 19, were caught on security cameras running away from the scene of the murder.

Police first detained H.T. after a raid on an apartment in Istanbul’s Bahçeşehir district. The second suspect’s name was revealed during H.T.’s interrogation at the police department.

The suspects say they attacked the victims after an argument that erupted over money after agreeing to pay for a sexual relationship. There are strong suspicions that the murder could be a hate crime against transsexuals.

Many trans-genders in Turkey live under the threat of hate attacks and most of the murders targeting the LGBT community are left unsolved.  

T.M. was taken to the Police Department, while H.T. was sent to the Juvenile Police Directorate as he is under the age of 18.