Sentence handed down for the murderer of 6-year-old Şirin Hanilçi

The first hearing of the case against Mustafa Örün, a paper collector who took 6-year-old Şirin Elmas Hanilçi to Feriköy Cemetery in Istanbul's Şişli district on October 31, sexually assaulted her, and murdered her by strangling her with a scarf, was held today at the Istanbul 37th High Criminal Court. The defendant was charged with "intentional killing of a child to conceal a crime, destroy evidence, and avoid capture," "deprivation of liberty of a child for sexual purposes," and "sexual abuse of a child," facing a potential sentence of aggravated life imprisonment and 6 to 39 years in prison.

Defendant Mustafa Örün connected to the hearing via SEGBİS from the prison where he is being held. Şirin Elmas Hanilçi's mother, father, the parties' lawyers, and attorneys from the Ministry of Family and the Istanbul Bar Association attended the hearing.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY"

After reading the indictment, the presiding judge asked the defendant for his defense. Defendant Mustafa Örün said, "I don't know what to say." The presiding judge reacted, saying, "What do you mean 'I don't know what to say'? I summarized the indictment. You know the allegations against you." Defendant Örün asked, "I have been in prison for 11 months. Will this time be deducted from the sentence to be given?" The presiding judge replied, "You haven't received a sentence yet. We are currently conducting your trial." The defendant then said, "It is as you read in the indictment. I don't know what to explain."

The presiding judge then read the defendant's statement given to the prosecutor's office.

In his statement to the prosecutor, the defendant said, "On the day of the incident, the little girl came up to me and asked for money. I told her I didn't have any. She insulted me. I got angry. She walked with me as far as Feriköy Cemetery. She asked for money again, and I told her again that I didn't have any. The little girl insulted me again. I got angry and shoved the scarf she had with her into the little girl's mouth." In the remainder of his statement, the defendant confessed to sexually assaulting Şirin Elmas Hanilçi and subsequently strangling her with the same scarf.

"UNTIL THIS MONSTER FORCIBLY TOOK MY DAUGHTER TO THE CEMETERY AND KILLED HER..."

Şirin's father, İbrahim Hanilçi, stated that he was working at the courthouse on the day of the incident due to probation, saying, "My wife told me that day that our daughter had gone missing. We searched for our daughter and then went to the police station twice. The next morning, they called us from the police station, and I learned that this murderer had killed my daughter. I am filing a complaint against the defendant." Şirin's mother, Yeter Hanilçi, stated in tears, "I had gone to pay the electricity bill. When I returned, this monster had taken my daughter. Until he forcibly took my daughter to the cemetery and killed her... He has no right to murder my child, he has no right to murder my 6-year-old daughter. My tears do not stop. I want the death penalty for this monster. I am filing a complaint."

The lawyer for the Ministry of Family requested that the defendant's claims that he committed the act under unjust provocation not be credited and that he be sentenced at the upper limit. The lawyer representing the Istanbul Bar Association at the hearing reminded that the Diyarbakır Bar Association's request to intervene in the Narin murder case in Diyarbakır was accepted, and requested that the Istanbul Bar Association be included as an intervening party in the Şirin murder case.

Defendant Mustafa Örün was asked if he had anything to say regarding the statements of the family and the lawyers. The defendant said he had nothing to say. The defendant's lawyer stated that his client had confessed to the crime he committed, but requested that his client's mental health be assessed as a professional necessity. The prosecutor requested that the intervention requests of Şirin's family and the Ministry of Family be accepted, and stated that the decision regarding the Istanbul Bar Association's request was at the court's discretion. Regarding the mental health report requested by the defendant's lawyer, the prosecutor requested that it be rejected as it would not contribute to the merits of the case.

The presiding judge accepted the intervention requests of the family and the Ministry of Family on the grounds of the possibility of being harmed by the crime. The requests of the Istanbul Bar Association and other associations were rejected on the grounds that they were not directly harmed by the crime. The court also rejected the defendant's lawyer's request for a mental health report.

PROSECUTOR DEMANDED PUNISHMENT

Announcing his opinion on the merits, the prosecutor stated that defendant Mustafa Örün's defense was aimed at evading the crime and should not be credited, and demanded that the defendant be punished for the crimes charged.

"MAY HE NEVER GET OUT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE"

Şirin's mother and father said, "I want him to never get out for the rest of his life and to be punished in the harshest way possible."

Defendant Mustafa Örün was asked for his final words regarding the prosecutor's opinion. The defendant said, "I have nothing to say." The defendant's lawyer said, "The defendant has accepted all charges. We will not have any contribution at this stage. The discretion lies with the court."

VERDICT ANNOUNCED IN THE FIRST HEARING

Announcing its verdict, the court panel sentenced defendant Mustafa Örün to aggravated life imprisonment and 51 years in prison for the charged crimes without applying any reductions. It was also ruled that the defendant's detention shall continue.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

The family of 6-year-old Şirin Elmas Hanilçi, who went missing in Şişli on Thursday, October 31, participated in a television program to request help. Taking action, police teams began an investigation by examining security cameras in the region. Narrowing the search area based on a tip, police teams conducted searches in and around the Şişli Feriköy Cemetery. As a result of the efforts, Şirin Elmas Hanilçi's lifeless body was found in Feriköy Cemetery.

Teams determined from security camera footage that Şirin had entered the cemetery with paper collector Mustafa Örün (49). Detained, Örün confessed in his statement that he had strangled Şirin to death. He was arrested at the courthouse after his procedures at the police station.

News Source: 12punto