JINHA

SAKARYA - The acquittal of a woman, tried for killing her husband, on grounds of legitimate self-defense is being hailed as a historic step in Turkish law.

The Turkish judiciary has issued a major exemplary decision in the case of a woman who was tried for killing her husband. G.K. killed her husband four years ago in the province of Sakarya. She was being tried under detention in a penal court. G.K. proved using doctors' reports that her husband had abused and tortured her.

"If I didn't kill him, he would kill me; I defended myself," said G.K. in her hearing. The court has issued a historic decision, calling for G.K.'s acquittal on the grounds of self-defense. Turkey's highest court has echoed the verdict.

When G.K. was released from jail, she filed an application for compensation and material support on the grounds that she had been detained illegitimately for 191 days. The court ruled to grant only part of the sum G.K. requested, issuing 4,566 lira ($1,650) of support services and 7,931 lira ($2860) of direct compensation. This amounts to 65 lira ($23) of compensation for every day G.K. spent in jail.

Meanwhile, women across Turkey continue serving sentences for similar crimes. Nevin Yıldırım, who killed the man who had repeatedly raped her at gunpoint, is continuing to serve a lifetime prison sentence for the killing. The courts refused to consider self-defense in her case.

(fk/cm)