Honor Killing Brings Life Sentence

The brothers of Güldünya Tören, on trial for killing their 22-year old sister because she became pregnant outside of marriage, were found guilty of "premeditated murder and of inciting someone to commit a crime."

Tören was murdered on 25 February 2004. She had fled her home in Bitlis, in eastern Turkey, after her family threatened to kill her for becoming pregnant. She gave birth to her son in Istanbul, but police refused to give her protection, and she was shot and wounded in the street.

While she was in the hospital recovering from her injuries, her brothers entered the room and shot her in the head.

The Fifth Criminal Court in Bakirköy sentenced Irfan Tören to life in prison for the murder.

His brother F.T., who was under the age of 18 at the time of the crime, was sentenced to a prison term of 11 years and 8 months.

The court has not yet heard the case against their uncle Mehmet Tören, who remains at large. Ilhami Yilmaz, the head of the court committee from the Istanbul Bar Association Women's Rights Enforcement Center that took part in the case, noted in the record that Mehmet Tören had not yet been captured. State Prosecutor Mustafa Bolat said the issue was being investigated again.

While Irfan Tören said "I had nothing to do with the situation," F.T., who was under 18 at the time of the killing, took responsibility for the crime, saying "I did it." This is a common tactic in "honor killings," as younger male members of the family are pressured to commit the murder because they can escape heavier penalties due to their youth.

At the hearing, the defendents' lawyer Mehmet Talat Seyhan said, "it isn't possible to punish Irfan, because a person saw him outside the hospital.For this reason I request an acquittal for Irfan. For F.T., I request a reduction be considered due to the factor of incitement to the crime."

Irfan Tören, saying that the family was being treated unjustly, said "A brother of mine apparently killed, but both of us are in jail. I want to be released."

The court was able to levy a heavier sentence on the brothers than before, due to new changes in the law proscribing heavier penalties for "honor" crimes. It changed Irfan Tören's sentence to a life sentence. But because F.T. was underage at the time of the crime, it reduced his initial sentence from 14 years to 11 years and 8 months.(AD/EA/YE)