Specialist Sergeant Musa O. discharged from Gendarmerie Command

* Photo: JinNews/ Medya Ürün, İpek E.'s mother Hakime Kılınç

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The Ministry of Interior has announced that Specialist Sergeant Musa O. has been discharged from the Gendarmerie General Command.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the statement of the Ministry reads, "Prosecuted for aggravated sexual assault, Musa Orhan has been discharged from the General Command of Gendarmerie."

Sexually assaulting 18-year-old İpek E. in Beşirli in Turkey's Kurdish-majority Batman province and driving her to suicide, Musa O. remained behind bars only for a week. He was released on August 25.

What happened?

Living in the Beşiri district of Turkey's southeastern province of Batman, İpek E. appealed to the Siirt Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on July 7 and filed a criminal complaint against specialist sergeant Musa O. Indicating that he raped her, E. gave a detailed deposition to the prosecutor.

On July 16, she left a letter and attempted to claim her life with a gun. She was taken to the Batman Regional Hospital. İpek E. was seriously wounded when she was hospitalized. After being treated there for 34 days, İpek E. lost her life at the hospital on August 18, 2020.

Musa O. was detained as part of the investigation on July 16. He was referred to court with a request for his arrest; however, he was then released on probation. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office objected to this ruling, but it was not accepted. An indictment was prepared on July 27.

The indictment was returned due to missing points. The prosecutor's office objected to this decision as well. With this objection accepted, the office demanded Musa O.'s arrest again with this indictment. Amid social media outrage, Musa O. was arrested and sent to prison.

His attorneys objected to his arrest and the Siirt 2nd Heavy Penal Court accepted the objection. Musa O. was released on August 25. (EMK/SD)