Erdoğan says man who killed battered woman's abusive boyfriend exhibited 'conscientious' stance

Duvar English

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that the action of Kadir Şeker -- who has been jailed after killing the abusive boyfriend of a woman -- was undertaken with “humane and conscientious” concerns.

“Kadir [Şeker] has exhibited a humane and conscientious stance. The process after this is completely up to the judiciary. We hope that a fair decision is reached,” Erdoğan told reporters on Feb. 12.

Justice sought for man jailed over killing woman's abusive boyfriend when trying to save her

The incarceration of Şeker who killed the abusive boyfriend of a woman while trying to save her from getting beaten up has stirred controversy in Turkey. Following the incident, thousands of social media users and some women’s rights groups have called for justice for Şeker and pointed out that he saved a woman from getting killed.

The incident happened on Feb. 5 in the Central Anatolian province of Konya. Şeker, a 20-year-old prospective medical faculty student, saw a woman, identified as 35-year-old Ayşe D., crying and getting beaten up by her abusive boyfriend Özgür Duran, who has 19 criminal records over deliberately injuring, theft, looting and dealing drugs.

Şeker approached the scene to warn the man to stop – only to be met with insults. Then they started scuffling, ending up with Duran dropping dead after being stabbed by a knife in his heart.

“He started running towards me and punched me in my right eye. I remember that he kept hitting my face. He then started to choke me and I couldn’t breathe. I reached to my pocket knife,” Şeker said in his testimony afterwards, adding that he was trying to get away from Duran during the brawl.

No one can say Şeker is 'guilty,' says Justice Miniser Gül

Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül also made a statement regarding the Şeker case on Feb. 12, saying: “No one can say 'Kadir is guilty' but there is a dead body in the open.”

Gül told reporters that the trial process will show if the murder was generated by “unjust provocation” or was an “act of self-defense.” “Or if there is a different situation, this will be revealed after the investigation. Judges and prosecutors are just like us human beings. They also have conscience; and within the framework of evidences, they will complete the investigation,” he said.

Gül also said that the incarceration of Şeker does not mean that he is “guilty.” Şeker has been arrested pending trial “as a precautionary measure,” Gül said.