A courtroom erupted in fury after the grieving family of a teenage girl who died after a violent rape were told her attackers would not face murder charges.
Victim Aslihan Sinem Cicek, 18, died in hospital of horrific injuries a day after the attack in July last year.
But despite evidence that two suspects were involved in her rape, robbery and death, a judge sparked a riot when he said there would be no murder charges.
Guards at the Izmir 11th High Criminal Courtroom had to use pepper spray to control outraged protestors at the hearing on 26th September.
Police were forced to evacuate the courtroom and, according to local media, fights spilled out into the court’s corridors.
The riot exploded at a hearing called by Aslihan’s family who had demanded harsher charges for the two suspects.
One, Burak Kaya, was charged with just robbery.
Police seized him after finding him with Alishan’s mobile phone and blood all over his clothes.
A green coat drenched in blood and a 30-centimetre-long (11.8-inch) knife were found on his motorcycle.
A second suspect named only as Cem A. was charged with sexual assault after CCTV footage emerged of him forcing Alishan into his white van.
Grim CCTV footage that emerged after Alishan’s disappearance showed her fleeing in terror on the night she died.
She was found seriously injured in a forest the next day with wounds all over her body and bloodstains on her clothes which had been ripped off her.
Aslihan was rushed to Ege University Hospital in Izmir but died from her injuries the following day.
Her family had wanted judges to upgrade the charges to murder saying her death was clearly linked to the attack.
But despite the evidence, the judge reportedly told the court: “This is not a murder case.”
After the courtroom riot, Aslilan’s father, Serdar Cicek, said: “My daughter is dead, and the defendants are getting away with it.”
The next hearing will be on 21st December.
