Where is justice for Mattia Ahmet? A mop handle is a 'weapon', but a murder knife is 'not'! Double standards in law
In the case of 15-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, who was stabbed to death in Kadıköy, Istanbul, the knife used in the crime was ruled not to be a 'crime weapon,' resulting in a decision of non-prosecution. The ruling, which sparked widespread public outrage, has led to serious criticism regarding the administration of justice. Lawyer Onur Şahin drew attention to the double standards in the legal system through a post on his social media account.
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While shopping at a flea market in Kadıköy, Istanbul, 15-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi was stabbed five times. He lost his life after a 15-day struggle for survival in the hospital where he was taken. A lawsuit was filed against the suspects B.B. and U.B. for “intentional killing of a child” demanding prison sentences ranging from 18 to 24 years. However, a detail that shocked the public emerged during the trial process: the knife that killed Ahmet was 'not considered a crime weapon'.
NON-PROSECUTION GRANTED ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE KNIFE IS “NOT A WEAPON”
The 10.3 cm long, pointed, single-edged, green-handled knife used in the murder was examined by the Istanbul Regional Criminal Police Laboratory. The report stated that the knife did not fall under the category of prohibited weapons within the scope of the “Law on Firearms, Knives, and Other Instruments.” Based on this report, the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a “decision of non-prosecution” for B.B., who carried the knife, on the grounds that “the legal elements of the crime were not met.”
MOP HANDLE CONSIDERED A WEAPON, MURDER KNIFE NOT!
Following this decision, which drew significant public backlash, lawyer Onur Şahin made a striking comparison on social media. Recalling that in two separate cases in Manavgat, Antalya, a mop handle and a fan base were considered “crime weapons,” he described the failure to accept the knife that killed Ahmet as a crime element as a “terrible mistake.”
This is absurd!
— Onur (@OnurSahin1923) May 21, 2025
I believe this is a terrible mistake:
I will share information about two files here. If the news in question is true, let a conscientious official from the Ministry of Justice or the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) investigate and explain the state of our legal system!!!
1) Manavgat 7th Criminal Court of First Instance, 2023/590 E. 2024/491… https://t.co/ogTi9JYt2i
Şahin used the following words in his post:
“This is absurd!
I believe this is a terrible mistake:
I will share information about two files here. If the news in question is true, let a conscientious official from the Ministry of Justice or the HSK investigate and explain the state of our legal system!!
1) Manavgat 7th Criminal Court of First Instance, 2023/590 E. 2024/491 K.
Plaintiff - Defendant: H.Ş.
A mop handle was considered a crime weapon and a weapon in an act of intentional injury.
2) Manavgat 5th Criminal Court of First Instance, 2023/191 E., (reasoned decision not yet issued)
Plaintiff - Child Driven to Crime: License
A child who was hospitalized by 3 people used a fan base to defend himself, and it was considered a crime weapon and a weapon.
Even the slightest suspicion that Ahmet's killers and their supporters are being protected shatters our social conscience! Those who hurt the citizen's sense of justice bear a heavy burden.."
SENSE OF JUSTICE IS BEING DAMAGED
This decision, which spread rapidly on social media and in legal circles, brought with it serious criticisms regarding “who justice serves,” “arbitrary interpretation of laws,” and “protection of the criminal.”
Citizens are questioning how a knife that caused a child to lose his life could not be considered a “crime weapon,” stating that trust in the legal system is being damaged.