Shocking Defense from Minik Eymen’s Murderer as Abuse Images Surface
Mother and boyfriend sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 4-year-old child
The Provincial Police Department Children’s Branch Directorate took action upon receiving notice that Mine Durak, whose husband died, was not taking good care of her son and committing violence. The investigation began in September 2019 and resulted in a tragic and shocking discovery.
Mine Durak, who had been missing for a long period, was found with her relatives, but her son, Eymen, could not be located. Durak gave contradictory statements to the police, claiming that her son had been beaten to death by her boyfriend. The police searched the location indicated by Durak and found Eymen’s body, with his hands and feet tied, in a bag in a tandoor pit covered with bricks.
Eymen’s body was taken to the Izmir Forensic Medicine Institute for autopsy, and the police detained Mine Durak, her lover Serkan Elçetin, and her brother EE.
The court sentenced Durak and Elçetin to aggravated life imprisonment for “intentional murder by acting in unity of thought and action.” Additionally, they were each sentenced to 30 years in prison for the crime of “qualified abuse of a child,” which was increased from 20 years due to the crime being committed by more than one person. The sentences were further increased to 67 years and 6 months each since the crime was committed by “force and threat” and occurred more than once in a chain. However, due to a legal limitation of 30 years’ imprisonment, the sentences were commuted to 30 years each. Both defendants were also sentenced to 8 years in prison for the crime of “torture.”
After the defendants’ lawyers objected, the file was moved to appeal. The 1st Criminal Chamber of the Izmir Regional Court of Justice unanimously approved the local court’s decision, with the possibility of an appeal to the Supreme Court. The separate sentences of aggravated life imprisonment and a total of 38 years of imprisonment each given to Elçetin and Durak were ultimately approved at appeal and went to the Supreme Court.
The 1st Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals stated that the allegations and defenses put forward were thoroughly examined in the reasoned decision with the evidence collected, and it was determined that there was no unlawfulness in examining the grounds of appeal. The Supreme Court ultimately rejected the appeal requests and approved the separate sentences of aggravated life imprisonment and a total of 38 years of imprisonment given to the defendants.
This heartbreaking case serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting children from abuse and violence and seeking justice for those who have been harmed.
