Retrial process begins in İzmir in the Duygu Bölükbaş case

In the case regarding Duygu Bölükbaş (33), who was found dead hanging from a towel rack at her home in İzmir's Bornova district in 2020, the retrial of the defendants who had been acquitted has commenced. At the hearing held at the İzmir 3rd Aggravated Felony Court following the Court of Cassation's reversal of the acquittal decision from the first trial, the victim's boyfriend, Emre T., and his aunt, S.T., attended without detention. The family continues their legal struggle resolutely for justice to be served regarding their daughter's death and for the defendants to be punished. At the hearing, the Bölükbaş family expressed the pain they experienced and their search for justice, requesting that the defendants be punished.

Taking the floor at the hearing, the victim's mother, Nuriye Bölükbaş, made an emotional call, stating that justice must be served and that her statements were valid. The father, Selahattin Bölükbaş, while experiencing the pain of losing his child, emphasized that they wanted the defendant to be punished for justice to be served. The family's lawyers also focused on the evidence presented to the court and witness statements for the trial to be conducted meticulously and for the perpetrator to be revealed. It was noted that the acquittal decision of the defendants in the first trial caused great disappointment and loss of trust on the part of the family, and that hopes were renewed with the renewal of the process.

The defendant without detention, Emre T., claimed to be innocent at the hearing and requested the removal of the judicial control measure applied to him in the form of a ban on leaving the city for job reasons. It was learned that T. defended that this measure restricted his daily life and work life, and expressed his desire to regain his freedom. The defense lawyers also argued that their clients had no connection to the incident, that they were acquitted due to insufficient evidence, and that the legal grounds for the retrial were weak. The court panel did not agree to release the defendant in his current state.

The Public Prosecutor, in their opinion, requested a decision for the continuation of the judicial control measure applied to defendant Emre T., and for this issue to be re-evaluated after the deficiencies in the file were rectified, even if it did not result in detention. The prosecutor emphasized that the process should be managed sensitively to rectify the deficiencies specified in the reversal verdict and to hear witnesses. It was stated that the main purpose of the retrial process is to clarify the incident and for justice to truly be served by determining the perpetrator or perpetrators.

The court panel decided that the defendant's current judicial control measures would continue in the same manner as a result of the deliberations. It was decided to rectify the deficiencies within the scope of the file to hear the apartment building manager and other critical witnesses where the incident took place. The hearing was postponed to a later date to collect new evidence and prepare witnesses. At the next hearing, it is expected that the apartment building manager's statement will be taken and new information regarding the night of the incident will be reached.