Two women sent to court for ‘abetting suicide’ before man jumps off Bosphorus Bridge

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Two women are facing arrest for “abetting suicide” after they shouted at a man considering suicide to jump off the Bosphorus suspension bridge so as to relieve a traffic jam.

The suspects, identified as Hülya U. and Merve Ö., are accused of “abetting a suicide,” for shouting and cursing at Erol Çetin, who committed suicide on the Boğaziçi suspension bridge early on March 8. 

“We’ve been stuck in traffic for hours because of you. Jump already,” the women allegedly shouted at Çetin. 

Çetin climbed up on the bridge’s safety rails at around 9:30 a.m. on March 8, with police officers arriving soon afterwards in an attempt to dissuade him from committing suicide. The incident led to a traffic jam on the bridge, which is typically the site of heavy traffic during rush hour. 

Reports indicate Çetin jumped off the bridge soon after the incident and could not be saved even after maritime police pulled his body from the Bosphorus and health teams attempted to resuscitate him. 

The women reportedly denied the accusations of abetting suicide during their interrogation, but both were sent to court with a demand for their arrest early on March 9.