JINHA

ADANA - After years of abuse, Çilem Doğan killed her abuser this past July. Her husband violently attempted to force Çilem to work as a prostitute. Çilem defended herself from his abuse, shooting him six times. The first hearing of Çilem Doğan was today. Çilem said that her husband abused her and she killed him to protect herself. The court has adjourned until April 8.

28-year-old Çilem Doğan, from the city of Adana, Turkey, separated from her husband after surviving years of his abuse. The man, Hasan Karabulut, continued to abuse her. On July 10, as Hasan violently attempted to force Çilem to work as a prostitute, Çilem defended herself from his abuse, shooting him six times. The first hearing of Çilem was today at 10th High Criminal Court. Women didn't allowed to attend the hearing due to small of hearing room. Çilem's family and her lawyers and Hasan Kaabulut's family and lawyer attended the hearing. Çilem testified at the hearing. In her testimony, Çilem said that her husband abused her everyday. She emphasized that she was afraid of killing. Her husband started a cheques and bonds gang with his relatives. She reported that to the police. However, police asked from her to notify them each step of her husband. Çilem hired a lawyer to get a divorce, the families told her to stay with him for their daughter. When Hasan called her and said that he would kill her mother, father and brothers if she tried to get a divorce, Çilem gave up on the idea.

Çilem explained the day she killed her husband, "The angel of death waited me at home to claim my life. The day of the event, he came home towards morning. After sleeping a little, he got up and told me to get my suitcase ready. I asked him what we were doing. He said, 'We're going to Antalya, you're going to do some prostitution and earn some money with three other women. When I objected, he started to hit me. He pushed me over the bed and started beating me. The pistol under the pillow popped into my head. I reached out and grabbed Hasan's gun and shot one bullet after another. Then I took my daughter, locked the door and left the house. I don't know how many times I fired. I was fighting for survival."

Then Çilem said, "Before deciding, please put one of your close relative into my shoes, then decide."

After taking the testimony, the court has adjourned until April 8.

(fz/sy/gd)