Life sentences for 3 defendants in Narin Güran murder trial

The second hearing of the trial regarding the murder of Narin Güran, whose body was found in the Eğertutmaz stream after she went missing on August 21 in the rural Tavşantepe neighborhood of Diyarbakır's Bağlar district, continues today on its third day. The verdict is expected to be announced at 9:00 PM.

DETAINED SUSPECTS BROUGHT TO THE COURTHOUSE

Before the hearing, the detained suspects were brought to the courthouse from prison under heavy security measures. 

The verdict is expected to be announced in the case today.

WHAT IS THE LATEST SITUATION?

Aggravated life imprisonment is being sought for uncle Salim Güran, mother Yüksel Güran, brother Enes Güran, and Nevzat Bahtiyar, who confessed to placing Narin in the stream.

During the second hearing of the trial, which has been ongoing for two days, the final witnesses—Salim Güran's worker Ramazan A., shepherd Ahmet Akgün, and uncle Erhan Güran, who is being tried without detention—gave their testimonies. Due to the contradictory statements provided by the witnesses, the Presiding Judge said, "You are hiding something from us."she reacted. Following the witness testimonies, the final defense statements of the defendants were heard. As the prosecutor reiterated their opinion, the hearing was adjourned. When the hearing resumed, tensions rose. Consequently, the court took a 45-minute break, the courtroom was cleared, and the case was adjourned until today. 

According to reports from the courtroom by journalists Emrullah Erdinç and Rojda Altıntaş, the events of the hearing unfolded as follows:

NEVZAT BAHTİYAR'S LAWYER Ali Eryılmaz REQUESTED PROTECTION

In the hearing, which was recorded on camera, the lawyer for the detained defendant, brother Enes Güran, Mustafa Demir, is set to present his defense.

It was announced that Nevzat Bahtiyar's lawyer, Ali Eryılmaz, did not attend the hearing and had requested protection, and that his absence was his own decision.

The Presiding Judge stated, "Their reason for not coming is their own discretion. Mr. Adnan Ataş (Nevzat Bahtiyar's second lawyer) has no such concern." he said.

TENSION BETWEEN THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND NAHİT EREN

Presiding Judge: I know very well when to intervene.

Nahit Eren: We absolutely do not accept the attitude you showed toward the lawyer.

Former Diyarbakır Bar Association President Nahit Eren spoke regarding the lawyers who were removed from the courtroom yesterday:

Nahit Eren: It saddened us that you remained silent about the irregularities that occurred during the hearing. The defendants are shouting here. The defendants are speaking in a threatening manner. I was shouted at and yelled at. But we absolutely do not accept the attitude you showed toward the lawyer. In this sense, our request from you is that no one should reach a state of intimidating anyone else. Yesterday, Kalashnikovs were mentioned in this courtroom, and you said nothing.

Presiding Judge: "I have tried members of the PKK, ISIS, and FETÖ here. I know very well when to intervene. I am not the judge from yesterday. I intentionally allowed Enes's talk about Kalashnikovs. Perhaps I will file a criminal complaint. Perhaps he will say something that will influence my decision. We have our reasons! My good intentions should not be abused. If my good intentions are abused, I will remove even the members of parliament."

"NOT NEVZAT'S STATEMENT, BUT THE STATEMENT OF THE GENDARMERIE OFFICER WHO TOOK IT"

The footage of Nevzat Bahtiyar's interrogation by the gendarmerie was played in the courtroom. 

Lawyer Mustafa Demir: The real question here is this: Is this truly Nevzat Bahtiyar's statement, or is it a statement directed by the person taking it? Because there is clear manipulation here. This manipulation is not just in certain areas; it is something much further beyond that.

Sentences that Nevzat did not construct, meaning sentences that never appeared in his testimony, are being written as if they were his own words. When we read Nevzat Bahtiyar's statements to the gendarmerie, there is a signature at the bottom, there is a lawyer present, and we might say, "Okay, this is Nevzat's statement." But there is footage here, and we see that these statements do not actually belong to Nevzat.

For example, a question is asked regarding the phone call: "Why did you call at 15:08?" Nevzat says, "I called about a water issue." However, afterwards, a question comes up: "Are you remorseful?" This question does not appear in Nevzat's statement either. So, who is putting this statement forward? The gendarmerie personnel add a sentence like, "I wish I hadn't called, I wouldn't have been involved in this, I am remorseful." Yet, no such statement ever came out of Nevzat's mouth.

Furthermore, let's look at his words regarding the confession of the incident. The same situation exists here as well. We see that these statements are not Nevzat's, but the words of the person taking the statement. 

"WERE YOU NOT THEIR MAN"

Lawyer Mustafa Demir:

Nevzat says, "I am a poor man," but we saw what kind of picture we were faced with in this hearing. In this hearing, we have a Nevzat who buys us eggplants. You know, he tells everyone, "I am a poor man." What kind of poverty is this? You don't accept a 10,000 lira discount.

I don't think he is telling the truth, because he hasn't spoken the truth about anything to date. I don't think he is telling the truth about this either. If you do it when Salim Güran tells you, "Take this child and bury her," can't you get a house plastered? Were you not their man?

"HE IS ACTING LIKE A GHOST."

Lawyer Mustafa Demir:

Communication is starting again between Nevzat and Vecdi. Does this communication affect anything? We cannot say this clearly because we could not listen to it. At first, we did not have the HTS records. Therefore, we could not ask about this issue.

Look, Nevzat is listening with rapt attention here. A person who normally does not listen to anything carefully is listening to these parts with great attention. Because he knows there is a grain of truth to it. He has made contact; we are talking based on real documents.

I think he was informed that he would be caught that evening. Perhaps in the barn... If the barn area had been searched, maybe something could have been found. Or in the other areas next to it... Especially in the places where Narin was last seen, a more comprehensive search should have been conducted.

Searches were conducted everywhere using blue light, and even bloodstains on the stones were checked. However, I wish this method had been applied in other places as well. Because the place where Narin was last seen has now been finalized according to the school camera.

THE GHOST DISCOURSE:

At this point, the word "ghost" comes into play. Because there is a report regarding the place where Narin Güran was last seen. The closest place in that area is Nevzat Bahtiyar's house. But Nevzat's house is not mentioned at all in the report.

According to the report:

•Fuat Güran's house is 400 meters away,

•Hüseyin Güran's house is 250-300 meters away,

•Father Arif Güran's house is 100 meters away.

However, even though Nevzat's house is at a closer distance, it is not included in the report.

Why is Nevzat's house not mentioned? They ask, "Why didn't you say anything?" But no one noticed it. As I said, the man acts almost like a ghost. He takes part in the searches at the forefront, sits and consoles the father, and is always present at the scene.

INFORMATION GATHERING AND GUIDANCE:

Nevzat is present everywhere to gather information. However, since he cannot analyze this information on his own, he receives support from people he trusts. He shares this information, especially with his brother, and acts according to his brother's guidance.

The initial protective reflex and contradictory statements also point to this. In the first statements, it is said, "The geese immediately took her out of the house, and he went down with the car." But could Nevzat have left the village at an earlier hour?

That is why cameras and HTS records are very important to us. The cameras need to be examined in a more comprehensive manner. This issue is also a critical point for the court. 

HE HAD AN APP CALLED "KAÇAMAK" (AFFAIR) ON HIS PHONE

Lawyer Mustafa Demir: 

Everything about the Güran family has been examined, but nothing has been found. They even investigated whether a goose might have been stolen. Salim Güran was addressed, and it was said, "Excuse me, but your private life has now been entered." He had an app called "Kaçamak" (Affair) on his phone; the man is having an affair. He was asked, "Why did you delete it?" When this was told to Arif Güran, he was very surprised and said, "He is very devoted to his family and children; I am surprised by this."

Now let's come to the Ramazan issue. Narin is not the only child. She fell into a coma as a result of a wrong turn. Everything is getting mixed up. Protect Ramazan as well.

Furthermore, proceedings were initiated against Arif Güran for influencing a fair trial. Proceedings were also initiated because he called Nevzat a "murderer." In that case, proceedings should be initiated against everyone, because everyone tried to influence a fair trial. That is why we appeared on women's programs. As a lawyer colleague said yesterday, "Enes is a good kid. At the end of this, it will either be aggravated life imprisonment or acquittal."

"LAWYER ENTERED THE COURTROOM WITH POLICE PROTECTION"

Lawyer Ali Eryılmaz, who left the courtroom under police protection yesterday, entered the hearing room again today accompanied by police. Eryılmaz stated that he was picked up from his hotel under police escort. He noted that when he left the hotel yesterday morning, the street was full of the Güran family's relatives, which is why he could only arrive under police protection.

COURT PRESIDENT: "KURTLAR VADİSİ IS OUR RED LINE"

Lawyer Mustafa Demir, regarding the Güran family,

An episode of a TV series was broadcast. It portrayed Enes as a drug addict and a strange person. People now see them as they are in that series. Because people are still commemorating the death of a character from the series 'Kurtlar Vadisi' (Valley of the Wolves). Following this remark, the court president intervened, saying, "'Kurtlar Vadisi' is our red line."

WHAT DOES THE WORD 'ORGANIZED' MEAN HERE?"

Lawyer Mustafa Demir:

No one is considering the state of mind of an 18-year-old. We always forget the human factor. The human factor is very important here. An 18-year-old youth, while searching in the dark for his lost sister, is worried that something might happen to her. Would he think about his own life there? Of course, in such a situation, he would search until he died.

Look, we are saying that hope is being shattered. A report comes in; there is a child. The child's picture really looks like Narin. The family looks and says, "Yes, this could be Narin." They see a resemblance. Because they think that at least they will know where she is. We understand from this what kind of psychology is at play.

The mother's words in the following days, "At least let her have a grave," can only be understood by mothers of the missing. Those who listen to them know. As a mother who has raised a disabled child, even the maternal instinct was questioned here. So many things were questioned.

Let's come to the matter of the receipts. Perhaps there was nothing to it, as they claimed. But then, she said, "I remembered." She says, "I wanted to go to the hospital, but when the hospital visit didn't happen, I harmed myself." There were those who witnessed it.

Everyone who knows something should come forward and tell it so that the truth may emerge. There is constant talk of an organization. Well, what kind of organization? What does the word 'organized' mean here? It is no longer possible to understand this. 

"TOOTH FETISHIST"

Lawyer Mustafa Demir: 

There is a former police officer who appears on television. He makes statements about bite marks. I was curious and researched who he was. It turns out that because of this police officer, a husband and wife were unjustly imprisoned for 40 months, and it was later revealed that they were innocent. The real killer was caught with the murder weapon, and the couple was released after 40 months. Now, the media presents this former police officer as a reliable person and puts him on screen.

The man has practically become a "tooth fetishist." He also interprets the bruise on Enes's eye as a bite mark. However, Enes has clarified this situation, and his statements were found to be consistent with the report. Despite this, and even though the contrary has not been proven, the prosecution does not take Enes's statement into account.

They used to say, "The child was going to speak, but they didn't let her."

Lawyer Mustafa Demir:

"Enes said, 'You don't know what I've been through.' This was repeated. They said, 'Enes, look, you said this, but you also said that.' Enes replied, 'Then I will tell you something, but it won't work.' It was then recorded in the minutes as follows: 'I will tell you something, but it won't work.'"

He was asked again: 'Tell us, we are here, we are here to listen to you.' Enes said, 'Then I want to consult with my lawyers. I will speak after we talk.' This was recorded exactly like that in the minutes. It is also in the footage. Enes turned to us, took two steps, and asked, 'Should I tell them?' If I had said 'Don't tell them' at that moment, what would everyone have said? They would have said, 'The boy was going to talk but they didn't let him.' Of course, we couldn't say such a thing."

We said, 'Tell them, tell them whatever you want.' And Enes described the torture. Then they asked, 'You didn't admit to anything during the torture, why did you bring up this topic?' Enes replied, 'Okay, I didn't admit to it, but the context of the question you are asking comes from here.'"

Remember, we are talking about a young man who has lost his sister, has been taken into custody, and is only 18 years old. He is constantly confused about the times in his head. What matters is whether it was after 18:00 or after 15:00. No one organized anything regarding the times. Those who stated the time incorrectly are being questioned.

On the first day, Mr. Arif says, 'Thank God, he saw the girls at 17:40.' This is being questioned: 'How 17:40?' they ask. If the road to Hüseyin Gürhan's house passes by Arif's house, it has to pass in front of the school. They check the school's camera, and Narin is not there.

The Gendarmerie says, 'Maybe she went around the back or took the lower path.' Mr. Arif says in his interview, 'My daughter is a smart girl. If she is going to go home, she takes the path, she doesn't take the long way around.'"

So what does this mean? There is no organization. On the contrary, there is an interrogation. The family is also interrogating. Mother Yüksel and father Arif are questioning their closest and most distant relatives.

The example of İsa Kaya: He is not a relative, but they call him in and ask: "You say you saw her at 18:00. Where did you see her, how did you see her? Why didn't others see her? There were other people there." İsa Kaya says, "I saw her." The mother says, "I was going to tear the place apart, but I felt a little relieved."

Maide Kaya is a small child. A reenactment was performed, and everyone watched it. She says, "She went to her house." But at the time the girl claims to have seen her, Narin had already been killed. Maide says, "I saw her around 18:40."

Another child says, "I didn't see Narin, but I heard the family calling out 'Narin' while they were talking." They were calling out toward the slope.

The presiding judge told lawyer Mustafa Demir to wrap up his statement.

He warned that they would move on to Yüksel Güran's defense at 13:00. 

"DID NARİN TELEPORT UP THE RAMP?"

Lawyer Mustafa Demir:

According to the claim by the national criminal bureau, Narin goes from the last place she was seen to the area referred to as the barn in 50 seconds; in other words, she practically teleports. The blur on the camera is presented as being Narin. But how can a child run up that ramp in 50 seconds? This is physically impossible. Furthermore, it is stated that she reached the front of the barn, not the house.

These allegations seem to have been put forward to meet public expectations. What was this expectation? 'Find a culprit and let them be punished.' In this direction, some people made ambitious statements, saying, 'We have taken this file, we will solve it.' They made posts like, 'Everyone will see soon.' However, there is no concrete solution behind these claims. It is temporally impossible. These claims of a cover-up and that the incident developed in this way are temporally impossible. 

Lawyers for the Ministry of Family and Social Services stated, "We are not accusing anyone. Our goal is first to seek justice for Narin and then to support the other children in that village. Let them help us; our only goal is to protect all children." 

Now, Yüksel Güran has come to the defendant's stand for her final defense. 

"ENES GÜRAN REMOVED FROM THE COURTROOM"

Defendant Yüksel Güran said:

"I am a mother, and I am being portrayed as a murderer along with my son. I no longer have a life in this world. Hüseyin Bey, Ali Rıza Güran, I apologize to you. I will tell my life story. When I married Arif, I promised that we would never lie. He never did anything bad to the children he raised with his own bread, and there was never any violence in the house. We had 7 children."

What happened when Narin went missing in our home? I lost my daughter Tülin 17 years ago. They blamed me for my daughter's death. She passed away at Dar Kapı Hospital. Everyone knows, the reports are there. My daughter was disabled. I lost my daughter up to that point. Now they have accused me with this file. Then I am at the police station, and the officers there are mocking me. They mocked me about why I had surgery and... (At this point, she used inappropriate language.)"

Upon hearing these words from his mother, Enes Güran interrupted and said, "The public official who told you that is a [profanity]." The presiding judge immediately intervened and told Enes to be silent. Enes was removed from the courtroom under police escort. The presiding judge said, "Do not bring him back in until I say so," and asked if anyone else wanted to leave. 

At this moment, Salim Güran also requested to leave.

Defendant Yüksel Güran:

"Narin did not come home that night. I swear to you, she did not come home. She went to the mosque and I never saw her again. What happened that day? They say Salim and Yüksel killed her, and Enes was there too. Then why is Nevzat calling? Why would Salim say, 'I slept with my brother's wife'? Salim, how did he convince you in 5 minutes? Are you that much of a coward?"

(At this point, Yüksel Güran turned toward Nevzat, and as she spoke, the presiding judge intervened and said, "Look here.")

Nevzat, if that were the case, why didn't you say, 'If you did it, let's go together,' that day? I am also speaking to his lawyer. I cried for Rojin's father. But a man, Nevzat, puts 8-year-old Narin in a sack, takes her to the creek, looks for rope for 30 minutes, and then throws her into the water. Afterward, he performs his prayers, drinks his tea, and doesn't even shed a tear for Narin, yet you are defending Nevzat. Look, you came from Ankara, and that wasn't enough, you are questioning our honor. How can you put that Quran into the creek? Nevzat, you are speaking comfortably because the state is protecting you. But there is a God above!

My daughter was brutally murdered. We mothers know each other. I carried her in my womb for 9 months.

(She continued by letting down her hair.)

They say there is my hair in Narin's hand. I am not accusing anyone. No mother would do such a thing. Mothers understand each other. But here, a woman says, 'Oh, I am so bored.' Then don't come. But yesterday, a mother said to me, 'My condolences.' I liked that. Do you know what they first said to me when I entered prison? 'How many children do you have, how many are dead?' My hands and feet trembled. I said, '2 of my children are dead, 5 are alive.' It was very heavy. Hediye's children never saw their mother. They are living without a mother or father. God is above, but there is also a God in this court!

They said, 'You forgot your daughter and are worried about your honor.' I grew up in the Güran family, then I chose Arif. I didn't have much schooling, I mix up Turkish and Kurdish. When I entered prison, we were all happy; we thought, 'We are innocent anyway, we will get out.' We said, 'Something will come out about Narin.' But the lawyers came to me and so much was said... They said the DNA was not clear. At that moment, I collapsed. They accused the entire Güran family of lacking honor. People are sitting in prison for no reason.

When the morning prayer is called, I perform my ablutions alone, I lift my head to the sky, and I shed tears.

(Here, the defendant cursed at the experts in the case file.)

This man knows how fond I was of Narin. He never asked, 'Why me?'

"IT'S A CRIME TO CRY!"

It's a crime to cry! The Gendarmerie says, 'The net is tightening.' We thought they had found something too. But they took me on the day of the funeral. They came to me and said, 'What did you do to Narin?' They portrayed me as so cruel! But is Nevzat a poor soul, is he?

Mr. President, I am addressing the laws and you. I dyed my hair once. I called Arif and said, 'They are going to dye my hair.' But they came and even used how I dyed my hair to accuse me. Are there such heartless people? What did the Güran family do? What did they say to Salim? They spoke while wagging their fingers, saying, 'You are relying on the field.' Since I joined this family, we have been paying the debt for that field to the bank. It finished this year, but it turned into poison. Nevzat is constantly wandering around that village, but he is of no use. They all belong to the Gürans. They reached this age and don't have a meter of land. They built a house, and now that is gone too. What did the Güran family do to him? Why didn't they ever put anything around their necks? Everything happens through their own means.

What harm have we done? He has made the lives of all the Gürans a dungeon. Children are growing up without their mothers and fathers. The bar association lawyers are talking, but I haven't studied. I am intelligent. I said, yes, I send my daughter to the Quran course. Even if I were angry at Narin, if she saw something, we would leave her at the Quran course even when she was little. Narin wouldn't stay at home because there were boys in the house. That is why I was leaving Narin at the Quran course. When I told the commander, 'Why doesn't she go to Salim's?' I said, 'Narin wants to go there.' But they have deleted that. Because I had boys at home, I was leaving Narin at the Quran course.

"HOW WILL YOU REPAY THE RIGHTS OF THE GÜRAN FAMILY?"

Why would we harm Narin? What did Enes do to kill my daughter? It is true that I don't use a phone. I don't have time. I don't go on TikTok. I deal with the garden. I wake up at 5 a.m. for 5 kilos of okra. Would a woman who has her eyes elsewhere wake up in the morning? I sell the produce from the garden to everyone. I was going to save the money for the children's schooling. What right do you have?

The state is protecting him right now. Why isn't it protecting someone from the Güran family? Why isn't there any investigation into his past? Our water for 15 years was lost because of his house. I do not forgive him!

How will you repay the rights of the Güran family? Won't God ask you about this? I will get out of that prison one day. You have made me look so pathetic... There are people in this courtroom crying for Nevzat, but no one is thinking about this mother. People have become so cruel!

Presiding Judge: So, you do not accept the accusations?

Yüksel Güran: The judgment is yours.

Presiding Judge Ramazan Dündar:

"The hearing will conclude tonight, and we will announce our verdict tonight." 

"DID SHE STRANGLE HER DAUGHTER, OR IS SHE PROTECTING HER SON?"

Lawyer Yılmaz Demiroğlu:

Mr. President, what is the accusation directed at the mother? The mother is only in detention due to the gendarmerie's reading of intentions. The charged crime must be linked to existing evidence. So, what evidence are you linking this to here? Did she strangle her daughter, or does she think her son committed the act and is she protecting him? Who is she protecting?

A location has been determined regarding the incident. When you talk to the mother, she says Narin was a sensitive girl. This is because the mother had not been able to dress Tülin in dresses. Therefore, Narin became the person she dressed in beautiful clothes and whose hair she combed. However, a monster took her from life.

The four defendants in this file are suffering from the lack of expertise of the law enforcement officers. The first report was very important. The first person to speak with the gendarmerie personnel was Salim Güran. Records of this meeting exist. There is even mention of a red car. If the gendarmerie personnel received this information, why was no report filed? Yet, reports were filed regarding other matters.

According to the gendarmerie reports, the last place Narin was seen is shown as Hüseyin Güran's house, and subsequently, the Güran houses are always shown again. However, according to camera footage, the last place Narin was seen is an area close to Nevzat Bahtiyar's house. There is no report regarding this.

In this situation, has the dignity of the state not been tarnished? We cannot place the burden of this failure on the family. If an unlawful decision is made here, justice will be shaken. We believe this situation must be handled seriously.

"MY CLIENT'S CHASTITY HAS BEEN MOCKED"

Lawyer Yılmaz Demiroğlu:

Your Honor, Nevzat said the following: 'Salim stopped me on the road, gave me Narin, pointed to the stream with his hand, and that is how I placed the body there.' However, Nevzat later changed his statement. He said: 'Actually, I went back. Because there was a sack on the body's head, I took it from a place outside the village out of a defensive reflex, put it in a sack I used for construction materials, and took it away.'

These statements do not align with reason, logic, or other testimonies. There is a possibility that someone could have seen it there. However, whatever happened, Nevzat changed his statements again. He said: 'Salim handed me the body near the barn. Later, Salim called me from the hill. At that time, there was no one in the room. Foam was coming out of Narin's mouth. I carried the body in my arms, took it to my own barn, and threw it there.'

However, he could not clearly state exactly where he received the body. At this point, many barn scenarios were put forward. My client's chastity has been mocked. However, when we look at Nevzat's HTS records, we see that what he said does not correspond with the material truth.

Furthermore, it is also in the records that Nevzat called Salim under the 'pretext of water.' We believe this situation should be examined carefully and that statements inconsistent with the facts should not be taken into account.

"The evidence points to Nevzat Bahtiyar"

Lawyer Yılmaz Demiroğlu:

Mr. President, Nevzat did something to our Narin within a half-hour timeframe and then quickly tried to get rid of the situation. If this murder had been committed within the family, no family could have acted this quickly. No family would deem this acceptable for their own child. It is quite difficult for such an event to take place in such a short time.

Based on our opinion and the state of the evidence, this murder was not committed within the family, but by Nevzat Bahtiyar. The evidence clearly points to Nevzat Bahtiyar. Therefore, we demand that Nevzat be punished.

The report kept by the Gendarmerie implies that the murder was known within the family. For example, it is stated that there was a fight among the women. However, there is a remarkable situation here: when the mother fell ill, why was this not written in the report?

Gendarmerie personnel, by reading intentions and the moment Enes was mentioned in the media, reflected a dialogue in the report as if the mother was trying to protect Enes when she said, 'What will happen to my son?' This creates an image as if the mother is covering up a murder committed by Enes. We really have difficulty understanding this kind of approach.

It is implied that Enes committed the murder and the mother protected him. However, the evidence and the flow of events do not support these claims. We believe that all these allegations should be examined carefully.

"The Güran family is being referred to as if they are devils" 

Lawyer Yılmaz Demiroğlu:

Mr. President, we have meticulously evaluated all the evidence. As a result of our evaluation, we have seen that the accusations directed at the mother are baseless. We see that these accusations consist only of a scenario and create an expectation of a decision that is contrary to conscience and the law. This situation truly worries us.

We believe that the court will never sign off on a decision that is not based on any evidence. Of course, the decisions the court makes will be respected by everyone, but there will also be criticisms. However, I would like to state that we will stand against this injustice and lawlessness directed at the mother, despite there being no evidence.

Mr. President, the Güran family is being portrayed as if they are evil. If there had been the slightest suspicion in the family that Nevzat had committed this act, they would have revealed it in some way. When Nevzat was taken, the family was already inside. Yes, there were some minor arguments when Nevzat was taken into custody, but this situation does not support the accusations against the family.

Actions must be taken in accordance with the fundamental principles of our law. The Güran family's respect for the law during this process should not be ignored.

"We demand the acquittal of Yüksel Güran"

Lawyer Yılmaz Demiroğlu:

"This family has never displayed a targeting attitude toward innocent people or another family, other than the person who committed the act. They are waiting for the result of justice and the law. Their belief that you will punish the person who murdered my client's child is complete. Therefore, they are a family that trusts the law and respects the law. They are certainly not the family described on the outside."

Mr. President, in our legal system, punishment is carried out based on the principle of joint perpetration. For joint perpetration to exist, the decision to commit the crime must have been made together, and all perpetrators must have contributed to the commission of the crime. Furthermore, there must be joint control over the crime. However, we do not see any concrete evidence in this file that such joint control or a joint decision to commit a crime exists. Therefore, we cannot even understand what is being implied."

The claim that four people committed the crime together and participated in this act is completely baseless. It is impossible for us to accept this allegation because it does not align with the material facts. The nature of the act is clear. It was carried out by strangulation, by covering the mouth and nose. By its very nature, such an act can be committed by a single person. Indeed, it has been determined that fractures occurred due to pressure on the front of the neck during the strangulation. In light of the concrete cases, we can understand that the act occurred in this manner.

For this reason, we believe that sentencing under the scope of joint perpetration would be unjust. Furthermore, the principle of 'the defendant benefits from doubt' must never be ignored. Mr. President, this case has had very severe consequences for a mother. Due to a lawsuit filed unjustly, the honor of my client, mother Yüksel Güran, has been tarnished. She was subjected to a grave accusation by being charged with killing her own child. Our goal was to remove this stain. However, the resources at our disposal are limited.

We are now in the process of trying to prove our client's innocence. The client's participation in the crime is absolutely out of the question.

For all these reasons, I respectfully request that my client, mother Yüksel Güran, be acquitted as she did not commit the alleged crimes."

There are 2 defense lawyers left for my side. One of them, lawyer Furkan Çakır, has now come to the podium to present the defense.

"You are using the poisoned apple"

Lawyer Furkan Çakır:

Mr. President, what are we saying? There is another report drawn up by the gendarmerie on 02.09.2024. This report contains a statement that the gendarmerie spoke with our client, Yüksel Güran. In the report, it is stated that regarding the night Narin Güran went missing, she thought her daughter had died.

In fact, the gendarmerie report states that the mother was practically certain that her daughter was dead.

We state this clearly here: We see that this process is proceeding with procedural deficiencies. You are using a 'poisoned apple' created in violation of the fundamental principles of justice. Do not do this.

“Yüksel Güran has psychologically collapsed”

Lawyer Furkan Çakır:

“It was alleged that there was a fight in the vicinity of Yüksel Güran’s, that is, Arif Güran’s house; this situation was recorded in the minutes and forwarded to the relevant authorities. However, it is impossible for Yüksel Güran to have participated in this fight. After receiving the news that our daughter Narin had gone missing, she collapsed both biologically and psychologically. Therefore, it is impossible for her to have been involved in this fight.

However, despite this, we see in the reports that Yüksel Güran was 'edited' into the incident. They acted with an approach as if to say, 'You are there, you are not there, but we have to show you there.'

Most of you have examined the file, you know. Until 21.09.2024, until Nevzat Bahtiyar’s final statement, that is, until the final date when those baseless accusations were directed at Yüksel Güran, my client was subjected to social media lynchings.”

“That finger might point at you one day too.”

Lawyer Furkan Çakır:

Mr. President, I would like to focus on the reports prepared regarding whether our daughter Narin is biologically the child of Yüksel Güran and Arif Güran, and the inclusion of these reports in the file. Such a report was obtained. Why did the investigative authorities do this? We asked these questions. Well, were we given an answer? No, we were not.

In this file, in addition to the allegations made on March 21, 2024, a claim was put forward regarding an affair between Yüksel Hanım and an uncle. These allegations caused great anxiety among the family members. The file was shaped accordingly. An perception was even created that Nevzat Bahtiyar should be a whistleblower. However, it is already legally clear that Nevzat cannot be a whistleblower.

During the hearing, an atmosphere was created where everyone was pointing fingers at each other. Yesterday, a representative pointed fingers at the majority of the defendants, behaving as if they were an authority. However, let us not forget: that finger might point at you one day, too. A defendant who is pointed at today may be proven right tomorrow.

Mr. President, considering all these elements, we believe that a decision in accordance with the law based on material facts should be made in this file. This is a necessity not only for the defendants but also for the conscience of society.

"The base station report is not a true expert report."

Lawyer Furkan Çakır:

Mr. President, there are many statements in the file supporting that Yüksel Güran was not actually at the scene of the incident or that she had no intention of being there. However, at the same time, an indictment says, 'She was there.' This decision was made long ago. Because there is a base station analysis report presented to the file with times and records whose accuracy is questionable.

In the base station analysis report, those conducting the technical assessment state: "The crime scene is the house. The house was shown, and movements were simulated room by room." They said, "The murder was committed here. Four people established physical control here and acted in concert."

Now, I do not want to go into the details of this technical report. Because, as we have stated before, the base station report is not truly an expert report.

Therefore, it is a major problem that the indictment was shaped by such evidence. The model used to construct the indictment does not reflect the facts. This situation has not provided any concrete contribution to the file.

"Narin is not your daughter, she is Yüksel Güran's daughter"

Lawyer Furkan Çakır:

They say here, "Narin is our daughter too." (Referring to the words of Nevzat Bahtiyar's lawyer yesterday.) No, Narin is not your daughter. Narin is Yüksel Güran's daughter. At most, you can feel her pain. For these reasons, we request the acquittal of my client, Yüksel Güran.

The final lawyer for the defense took the stand. 

Lawyer Doğuşkan Kurucu:

Mr. President, the allegation raised against my client that she is the biological mother [of the child in question] has been expressed in an extremely ugly, shameful, and baseless manner. It is unacceptable that a mother, who has already suffered the heavy pain of losing her daughter, is being further worn down by such allegations.

A report in the case file states that Narin’s mother is Yüksel Güran and her father is Arif Güran. It is shameful to even have to mention the existence of such a report. We want to clearly state that the claims in this report are false.

Furthermore, the allegation that my client, Yüksel Güran, attempted to conceal evidence by providing her own blood to destroy alleged blood traces is completely irrational.

Additionally, the case file contains an allegation that a phone call took place between Salim Güran and my client on the day of the incident. However, the accusations directed at my client regarding the content of this call also do not align with the facts.

Defense Attorney's Statement:

“Mr. President, the current situation in the file is already clearly visible. It is clearly understood from the documents and search records in the file that my client, Salih Güran, did not conduct any searches.

For example, there is a tweet posted by the Ministry of Interior. Perhaps you have seen it; this tweet was shared approximately 4.5 million times. 49% of these posts regarding the Narin case were made by bot accounts. While there are real accounts among the rest, this situation itself was used to manipulate the event.

Another issue is the claim that the carpets were washed. It was alleged that my client’s carpets were washed and evidence was destroyed. However, the reports clearly state that these claims are false. It has been determined that the carpets were not washed and there was no outside interference. Despite this, the accusations against my client have been relentless.

It was alleged that Erhan Güran had cameras installed at his house, but he stated that the reason for this was fear. We also know that other people in the village installed cameras in their homes; this stems from the villagers' fears.

I would also like to address the allegations that Enes Güran is a drug addict. These claims are completely baseless. Allegations that my client Yüksel Güran took the blame to protect her son are also unfounded.

Another issue concerns Hediye Güran. It has been alleged that Hediye used the morning-after pill, but this is a completely false claim.

Finally, the claim that the water flow rate was deliberately increased to accelerate the decomposition of the body is also untrue.

Mr. President, there are also completely unrealistic urban legends in the file, such as 'Narin is alive and was kidnapped by helicopter.' Such claims undermine the seriousness of the case."

Lawyer Doğuşçan Kurucu 

Mr. President, finally, there is no concrete evidence proving the existence of intent to participate and elements of joint activity regarding our client. Therefore, we request our client's acquittal. Thank you.

The court convened for the verdict

3 LIFE SENTENCES

Following the recess, the court announced its verdict, sentencing mother Yüksel, brother Enes, and uncle Salim Güran to aggravated life imprisonment. Nevzat Bahtiyar was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison.