Turkey's high court acquits woman who killed abusive husband

ESKİŞEHİR - Doğan News Agency

Demircan was allegedly beaten, raped and sold to other men by her husband for years. Hürriyet photo

A high court decision has overruled a previous 15-year sentence for the 46-year-old Zarife Demircan, who had strangled her abusive husband with a scarf, acquitting the woman of murder charges on the grounds that the killing occurred for reasons of self-defense.

Demircan was allegedly beaten, raped and sold to other men by her 43-year-old husband for years, until she strangled him to death after another rape attempt. The husband was allegedly beating the kids as well.

An Eskişehir court sentenced Demircan to lifetime imprisonment in December 2011, but then decreased the sentence to 15 years for extenuating circumstances of the killing.

The High Court however refused to approve the decision, citing self-defense as the cause behind the murder. The case was re-opened by the court.

The court finally ruled in favor of Demircan and acquitted her of murder charges.