Court acquits Turkey woman who killed allegedly abusive husband

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has acquitted a woman who was imprisoned three years ago after killing her allegedly abusive husband with a knife. 

The Bakırköy 13th Heavy Penal Court ruled late on July 4 that Yasemin Kaymaklı had committed the killing as a result of “going beyond the limit due to fear and panic,” Doğan News Agency reported. 

“I did not mean to do it. I did not do it knowingly and willfully. But otherwise I would have never come out of that house [alive]. I know what I have been through. I called the police but he [husband Özkan Kaymaklı] broke the phones. I called for help but couldn’t get it,” Kaymaklı told the court on July 4.

The court acquitted Kaymaklı of charges of “voluntary manslaughter,” saying the case was a legitimate self-defense incident so the suspect should not be penalized. 

Following the court’s decision, Kaymaklı was released from the Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison, in front of which she was met by her family and a group of women shouting slogans including: “Long live women’s solidarity.”

Kaymaklı made a short statement in front of the prison, expressing her joy at being released and thanking those who supported her. 

“Yasemin [Kaymaklı] was in the prison for three years. But we never lost our hope. She is one of the women who has suffered physical abuse [by her husband] all her life. All she wanted was for the violence to stop. We tried to explain this to the court. Women are being killed every year in Turkey because they are not adequately protected. Yasemin is just one of those who narrowly escaped death,” Kaymaklı’s lawyer Diren Cevahir Şen said. 

“Today she appeared in court for the 14th time. Her acquittal is completely the result of women’s struggle. She has reached freedom,” Şen added. 

Çilem Doğan, a woman who came to prominence after killing her husband for allegedly forcing her into prostitution, also shared a message of solidarity on July 4 in support of Kaymaklı.  
 
Yasemin is also now free. They say ‘freedom is contagious,’ so welcome Yasemin, I’m so glad I have you my dear women,” Doğan said in a video posted online.

Doğan had turned herself into the police and admitted to killing her husband with his own handgun in 2015 after he had beaten, drugged and abused her. A court released her one year later on bail.