Appeals court reduces sentence for Duman, who killed dogs

The Ankara Regional Court of Justice (BAM) 17th Criminal Chamber has issued a ruling regarding the appeal filed against the local court's decision concerning Muhammet Mustafa Duman, who was convicted of killing pets and sexual assault. Reviewing the appeal against the October 17, 2025, decision of the Ankara West 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance, the BAM ruled for a retrial due to deficiencies identified in the case file.

During the hearing, the defendant Duman stated, "Such a grievance has not been seen in the 103-year history of Turkey. Turkey is a state of law; I request that this be taken into account and that a decision in accordance with the law be made to remedy my grievance."

Reviewing the 9-year-and-9-month prison sentence handed down by the local court, the chamber removed the provision for 'sexual abuse of animals' regarding Duman and reduced the sentence to 4 years and 4 months.

‘From the Indictment’

The defendant, Muhammet Mustafa Duman, a doctor at a hospital, was detained and arrested on allegations that he killed dogs he had adopted from various individuals at his home in the Bağlıca neighborhood of Etimesgut district. The investigation initiated by the Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor's Office was completed, and an indictment was prepared. The indictment stated that the defendant Duman had obtained 3 of the 8 total puppies identified in the file on March 30, 2025, and 5 of them on April 26, 2025, through free adoption advertisements posted on social media.

It was stated that the suspect took the puppies to his home in a box, sexually abused them, and then dismembered and killed them. It was noted that the suspect placed the dogs he killed into black trash bags, took them out of the house, and disposed of them in an unidentified location. It was further stated that the suspect then returned home, wiped the door handles and floors, and painted the walls to destroy evidence, and that camera recordings regarding the deaths of the puppies were present in the file.

Furthermore, according to digital examinations and an expert report, it was stated that the suspect had stored and recorded approximately 43 thousand obscene images containing sexual abuse of dogs and other animals, and that he was therefore deemed to have committed the crime of 'obscenity'.

A prison sentence of up to 17 years and 6 months had been requested for the defendant Duman for the crimes of 'obscenity' and 'intentional killing by sexually abusing more than one pet'.