Family of murdered 20-year-old motor courier complains of lax penal code

Duvar English

Ata Emre Akman, a 20-year-old university student who had recently taken a part-time job as a motor courier, was murdered in a random knife attack on May 12 while delivering a package in Turkey’s Aegean province of Balıkesir.

Akman’s family on May 16 spoke to Demirören News Agency (DHA) about their son, the incident, and the lax parole laws that have let attacker E.Ö. loose to commit random murder. 

E.Ö. was 17 years old, with six prior incidents, including stabbing and deliberate injury. According to Akman’s parents, E.Ö. was carrying out orders from his father who was in prison for murder but was on a house leave for the weekend.

Akman’s father criticized that the murderer could be on house leave in the first place. “He presents a harm not only to himself, but to Turkey, and the entire world,” he said. 

Mother Akman noted, “This would happen to anyone that left the building that night,” drawing attention to the arbitrary nature of the crime. 

Father Akman continued that the incident had completely shaken their trust. “We were hesitant about a big city such as Istanbul, but not Balıkesir. How can I send my children off to another city for university now?” he asked. 

According to his parents, Ata Emre had taken on the motor courier job just a week ago, to be able to save up for a vacation to Paris. 

“He wanted to buy me a Mother’s Day present with his extra money. He was working for financial independence,” told his mother. 

The incident drew ire in Turkey, as the security camera footage caught the moment of the attack. Friends have commemorated Akman as a pure-hearted, good person, with a bright future ahead of him.