Testimony of Yüksel Güran

Reading Time ~ 1 h 23 min

Word Count 16621

Presiding Judge ​

Presiding Judge : Yes, the indictment has arrived. I already summarized it briefly this morning. You’re aware of the indictment. You have attorneys. You have the legal right not to answer our questions. You have the right to remain silent. As I reminded the other defendants this morning, you have legal rights. Yes, I’m listening to you. You are on trial for killing your daughter together with the other defendants. What do you say?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. I’ll say this in front of everyone. My Turkish is not very strong. Sometimes I mix in Kurdish. Please excuse me.​

Presiding Judge : That’s fine. We’ll understand each other in Turkish and Kurdish, hopefully. Go ahead.​

Yüksel Güran : I’ll start from the morning. On the day of the incident. I woke up at five in the morning.​

Presiding Judge : One moment — there’s noise, friends. The sound isn’t reaching the microphone clearly. Let’s be a bit quieter. Yes, quieter now. Let’s all be quiet. Go ahead, Ms. Yüksel.​

Yüksel Güran : I woke up at 5. At five I went to pick okra in my garden. I picked the okra and came back — looked around, and saw a dead turkey in front of the house. I said, “The dog must have eaten our turkey.” I came home around six, six-thirty, woke up Osman, and sent him to work in Ongözlü. When Arif had come home late the night before, and his mother returned from the bus station, he’d said, “Yüksel, wake me a little early in the morning. I’m going to Batman.” So, in the morning, I went to pick okra, sent Osman off, and went into the kitchen. I was so happy — two or three of my sons had come home from working abroad. I was cooking, frying things — I couldn’t get enough joy from it. Then my other children started coming downstairs one by one. While I was finishing breakfast, I told them, “Wake your father and your older brother, have them come down.” Then I saw Arif talking on the phone with Muzaffer. I don’t know who called who. He said, “Yüksel,” and told me, “Muzaffer will come for breakfast.” I said, “Okay.” Muzaffer came. We left the table as it was. I was so happy that day. Something inside me said, “I could die now. Osman is the only one missing from us. May God not accept my wish. This is our last joyful breakfast.” I’m telling this to everyone.​

Presiding Judge : Why do you call it your last breakfast?​

Yüksel Güran : Because afterward, they poisoned our lives.​

Presiding Judge : Ah, I see what you mean.​

Yüksel Güran : I’m saying this before everyone. After breakfast, Muzaffer, Arif, and Baran left together. Muzaffer and Arif were going to Batman. Baran was taking his wife shopping. Then I told my son Enes, “Go take a bath.” Because Enes is young, he forgets things. I saw from the statements he mentioned events out of order. After Enes came out of the bathroom, I also washed Narin and Eren. Then I called my sister. I said, “My washing machine is broken.” Hediye— no, my sister Salihe Güran. I called her and she said, “Sister, I have two loads of laundry. Bring them after noon.” Then I called my sister-in-law, Hediye Güran. She said, “Bring them.” I told Enes, “I’ll take the clothes to Hediye.” She said, “Okay, bring them.” All the clothes belonged to Enes. I took them to Hediye Güran’s house, carried them into the kitchen. She said, “Sit,” but I didn’t sit.​

Presiding Judge : Do you remember what time this was?​

Yüksel Güran : Morning. I’m talking about before noon now. In the morning, Narin was still at home.​

Presiding Judge : Okay. Narin was at home.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. When I came back from Hediye’s, Narin and Eren were playing on the balcony. They were very happy. I went inside because my other children were home. I did my chores. Sometimes Eren or Enes and Narin would run to me: “Mom, when are we going to buy clothes?” “Mom, will you buy me a wedding dress?” “Mom, buy me this.” I told my daughter, “Okay, dear. I promise, I’ll buy it tomorrow.” May God not forgive them — they didn’t let me buy her that dress. Then she’d run to her brothers: “Brother, why didn’t you bring me a toy?” “My boss didn’t pay me yet, but I promise, when I get money, I’ll buy one for you.” I finished my chores and washed the balcony. When I looked, my older sons were happy inside. I turned off the water pump. My uncle’s daughter-in-law had come from Batman; she was staying at my sister’s. I said, “Let me go and say welcome.” I went — they were in the kitchen drinking tea and coffee. I sat with them; they brought me coffee too. I drank it, sat a while, then Ferhat Kaya came and said — I think it was Enes or Eren, I don’t remember — he said, “Mom, come home, we’re hungry.” I went home, because we had a wedding soon. When I got there, Muhammed had a music device and was playing songs. I took Narin and Eren by the hand, and we danced a little.​

Presiding Judge : Now, Ms. Yüksel, when you went out of the house for these things, did you take your phone with you, or leave it at home?​

Yüksel Güran : My phone stays at home.​

Presiding Judge : Always at home?​

Yüksel Güran : Always. When Muhammed and Narin are home, my phone is always there.​

Presiding Judge : Because the children play with it?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. When I go out — to the yard or garden — they stay home.​

Presiding Judge : Okay.​

Yüksel Güran : I go out.​

Presiding Judge : So the children play on the phone?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, that’s why they’re quiet. The phone was with them. Then Narin said, “Mom, we’re hungry. Make us fries.” Luckily, I made them. I fried potatoes and gave some to my daughter. I was preparing lunch. I saw Muhammed and Narin fighting over the phone. I took it away. When we sat down to eat, they started arguing again. I remember this clearly. They kept asking me the time — “What time is it?” I looked at the clock; it was 1:00.​

Presiding Judge : Now, Ms. Yüksel, how many people in the house had a phone?​

Yüksel Güran : Everyone in the house had one.​

Presiding Judge : Did Narin have a phone?​

Yüksel Güran : Only Muhammed, Narin, Eren, and I shared one phone.​

Presiding Judge : So Narin didn’t have her own?​

Yüksel Güran : No, she didn’t.​

Presiding Judge : Okay.​

Yüksel Güran : When we sat down to eat, I remember it well. I looked at the clock; it was 1:00. We ate, I washed the dishes, vacuumed the rug, and sat on the couch. I saw Narin dusting the TV. She glanced at the clock. Because the night before, when we visited Hüseyin Güran, Hatice told her, “Come tomorrow — we’re going to Qur’an class.” She glanced at the clock and said, “Mom, I’m late for Qur’an class.” I said, “Don’t go, it’s too hot.” I tried to stop her, but she insisted. “Please, Mom, it ends at 4:00, and then I’ll go to Hatice and Fatma’s.” I said, “Don’t go. Your uncle is sick.” I couldn’t convince her. She convinced me instead. She got up happily, shouted with joy, and said, “Class ends at 4, then I’ll play with Hatice until evening.” Normally, kids in the village go out at 5 and stay out till dark — we have to drag them home. She went to Qur’an class. I even told her, “Dear, you shouldn’t go out with those legs.” She said, “Mom, I’ll change my clothes.” I swear — when Narin walked out of that room, I never saw her again. Enes and I were sitting together; he was playing on the phone. Nothing seemed unusual. Enes even said, “Mom, if my boss doesn’t pay, how will we afford my brother’s wedding before he goes to the army?” I said, “Don’t worry, your father will handle it.” I was tired — I’d been up since five. Enes had come home at midnight. I lay down; I don’t know how long I slept. When I got up, Muhammed was asleep, Enes was asleep, and Eren was playing on the phone. I went to the kitchen, drank some water, came back, and lay down again. When I woke up again, Muhammed and Eren were awake, Enes was still asleep. They told me, “Mom, aunt Hediye brought our clothes.” I said, “Why didn’t you wake me?” They said, “Aunt Hediye didn’t let us.” I was tidying the room. I don’t remember if Muhammed went out then. Enes woke up after that. I told Hediye, “The boys told me you came while I was asleep.” She said, “Yes, I came, but you were sleeping. I said, ‘Let her rest.’” The water pump is near the headman’s gate. I ran it, got water, and went to turn it off. Hediye came again; we sat and talked — about clothes, the wedding, Baran’s military service. Then I remembered to get Enes’s suitcase and clothes from the room. I was folding them when Enes’s phone rang — I think twice. I didn’t let it wake him. He answered and spoke to a friend. I asked, “Who was it, son?” He said, “My friend.” He also asked his aunt something, and she asked him back. Then Enes went out. I don’t know how long he stayed out. Hediye and I kept talking. I didn’t check the time. I just know it was toward evening. Then Hediye said, “I’ll go home.” We went to the door. Then I saw Enes coming.​

Presiding Judge : So, when Hediye came, was Enes at home?​

Yüksel Güran : The first time Hediye came, we were still sleeping.​

Presiding Judge : Okay.​

Yüksel Güran : The second time she came, I was up, but Enes was still asleep. We sat for quite a while. While I was folding his clothes, Enes’s phone rang and he got up.​

Presiding Judge : So Hediye was there.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. Enes was still home. I said, “Who was it, son?” He said, “My friend.” I told him, “You’ve slept enough, get up and get some air.” He went out. I don’t know when exactly. Hediye and I kept talking. Later she said, “I’ll go home.” We sat for a while after Enes left. I can’t remember how long. The police kept asking me, “What time was it?” I said, “I don’t know, I didn’t look.”​

Presiding Judge : We’ll ask the same — what time it was.​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t know.​

Presiding Judge : That’s possible.​

Yüksel Güran : I never looked.​

Presiding Judge : Even now you might not know what time it is. But since we’re comparing times and minutes, we have to ask. You’re right, but so are we — because we need those details.​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t look at the clock.​

Presiding Judge : That’s fine. You might not have.​

Presiding Judge : You might not remember.​

Yüksel Güran : I saw Enes coming, and Hediye left. I asked Enes, “Where were you?” He said, “By the fountain.” He mentioned the mosque too — I don’t recall exactly. I went to the kitchen, saw Enes go into the TV room. I told him, “Call your father — where is he?” When he called, his father said, “I’m in Batman, in Melkişköy.” I said, “He won’t make it for dinner.” I already knew Baran and Sultan were going to eat at uncle Kurtuluş’s that evening. I put the meat on the stove and tidied the house a bit. Around then, Enes must have gone out. Later, the officer asked me, “Did you see Salim that day?” I swore, “Commander, I never saw him.” Then I remembered — when I turned off the power switch, I could see Hüseyin Güran’s gate. Hüseyin and his sister were there. I think it was Salim I saw there for a moment — just a second, standing by the gate. Then the commander asked again, and I said I wasn’t sure — but maybe, for that second, I saw Salim by Hüseyin Güran’s gate.​

Presiding Judge : You think so. Are you certain? Or not?​

Yüksel Güran : He was there, yes, he was there.​

Presiding Judge : Did you speak with Salim that day?​

Yüksel Güran : No, no, absolutely not. I swear, I swear.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. Ms. Yüksel, did you see Nevzat?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : You mean you didn’t go downstairs and come back?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : Did Hediye see Nevzat?​

Yüksel Güran : We don’t go to Nevzo’s side, to his house.​

Presiding Judge : I know you don’t, but when you went outside — I watched the videos around your house — did you look around when you stepped out?​

Yüksel Güran : No. We didn’t look at all. We never saw them.​

Presiding Judge : You didn’t see them.​

Yüksel Güran : No, I swear. I turned on the water pump. I washed the balcony. I cleaned up a bit around the house. Our garden has drip irrigation — I sent water to it. Then I went back inside, tidied up a bit, since the kids mess things up. Then I went up to the roof to lay out the bedding. I heard Enes and his friends talking — voices were coming from there. I went downstairs, left the rice on the stove, and ran outside. I saw Eren coming from that direction too. I said, “Son, is your brother still there?” He said, “Yes, Mom, he’s there.” I went and saw Enes and two brothers — Ufuk and Furkan, I always mix up their names — the older one was there, maybe Yusuf or İsa, I can’t recall exactly. Yes, both were there. Enes didn’t seem to think much of it. They were smoking. I don’t know if Enes smoked or not — I didn’t see it in his hand. I said, “Son, shame on you. What are you doing to your lungs, smoking like that?” They both came over.​

Presiding Judge : Let me ask again. In Diyarbakır, “smoking” might not mean regular cigarettes as we understand them. It was just a normal cigarette, right?​

Yüksel Güran : A normal cigarette.​

Presiding Judge : Not marijuana?​

Yüksel Güran : No, Your Honor. Later, they spread rumors on TV — they said cigarettes, tobacco, heroin. Forgive me.​

Presiding Judge : Because in Diyarbakır, when someone says “I smoke,” it can mean marijuana.​

Yüksel Güran : But we just call it a cigarette.​

Presiding Judge : The defendants also say “cigarette.” They say, “We smoked a cigarette,” but by that they mean marijuana. They call marijuana “cigara,” and regular cigarettes “sigara.”​

Yüksel Güran : Show TV was there at the time too. It wasn’t even late yet. Then everyone started accusing me — saying, “Yüksel, you said tobacco, you said heroin.” I called over a reporter — Büşra, I think her name was — and said, “Come fix this. I said cigarette, not that.” Show TV called again and said, “Yüksel, when you say cigarette, we mean tobacco.” They even told me, “There’s not much difference anyway.” That’s what they said. Then I called Enes. Enes came. I told him, “Son, in the evening I’ll close the barn window. The dog ate our turkey — I’ll put the rest of the turkeys in the barn.” Enes came and helped me. We closed that window.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. Let me step in. There’s more of this later anyway. What you’re saying now matches your earlier statements on this topic.​

Yüksel Güran : Correct.​

Presiding Judge : Ms. Yüksel, in your TV interviews—​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Presiding Judge : In those interviews you said things like, “Whoever killed her, just put her somewhere, at least let us know where the body is.”​

Yüksel Güran : I never said that. I swear I didn’t. There were always people around us. I always said, “God, death is sweet compared to this.” Because my daughter was eight years old and missing. The whole country was searching for her and couldn’t find her. I said, “Death would be sweeter than this.” When someone dies, there’s at least a grave. My daughter was nowhere. The whole country searched and couldn’t find her. That’s what I meant. Whatever I said, they twisted it.​

Presiding Judge : They may have, that’s why we’re asking.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, that’s what I meant — that death would be sweet compared to this.​

Presiding Judge : I’ve noted this down. In Gazal’s statement dated 28.08, she said: around 19:00 on 28.08, who came with her? Enes was there, and also someone else. She said Yüksel came around 19:00, hit her knees and said, “Which of you took my daughter? Whoever took her, bring her back, even if you just leave her somewhere, at least let her grave be known.”​

Yüksel Güran : No. Absolutely not. I swear that’s a lie about the time — 19:00. I told my lawyers that too. They said “seven,” but I didn’t understand. For example, seven o’clock.​

Presiding Judge : Seven. 07:00. Between 07:00 and 08:00 on the day of the incident. Yes.​

Yüksel Güran : Let me continue up to that point, then. Yes, until it’s complete.​

Presiding Judge : Alright.​

Yüksel Güran : Where was I now?​

Presiding Judge : Where were you last? After the smoking — we’re past that. Cigarette, turkeys, yes. You were at the barn.​

Yüksel Güran : Enes came. We closed the barn window. I put the turkeys inside for two minutes. Then I went to the headman’s house. Because Melek’s father had eye surgery. Nazan was there. Dilek was there. Gamze was there. I went and said, “Get well soon. How is your father?” They said, “Thank God, he’s fine.” While we were talking, I said, “I’d better go — my rice will burn.” I ran home. When I got there, I saw Muhammed coming from that direction, Eren coming, Enes too. The kids said they were hungry. I said, “Muhammed, we’re calling each other from the hilltop — call Narin, tell her to come home.” I ran to the kitchen. I think it was Eren — I said, “Son, set the table.” As I was putting the rice on the stove, Muhammed came into the kitchen and said, “Mom, Narin isn’t there.” I said, “What do you mean she isn’t there? Narin went that way.” He said, “Aunt Hediye said Narin is here.” Then I called Hediye. She said, “Yüksel, Narin isn’t here — maybe she went to Damla or Ecrin or Yasemin or Gül.” I went up the hill. I sent Enes and Muhammed down and said, “Go to the mosque, Narin must be there, bring her back.” It never crossed our minds that Narin was missing. I called up to Maşallah on the hill. Maşallah said, “Yüksel, Narin isn’t here.” I said, “Tell the girls, Narin was going to visit you.” He spoke to them, but I couldn’t hear the girls’ voices. He said, “Yüksel, I swear, Narin isn’t here.” I didn’t know she hadn’t gone there after noon. I thought she might have gone, then left. It didn’t occur to me she was missing. She hadn’t gone to the mosque either. Then my sister Süveyla was there, filling hay. I asked, “Did Narin go to İbrahim’s daughter’s house?” She said, “No, İbrahim just came back from the hospital with his daughter. Where would Narin go? Either to Hediye’s or Yasemin’s.” I called Hediye again, since I’d already called before. She said, “Yüksel, the girls haven’t come yet.” I told Eren to get Yasemin’s number — I didn’t have it. Eren and Muhammed were there, I don’t remember exactly. We called Yasemin. She said, “Yüksel, Narin isn’t here.” I called my sister Saliha Kaya — I knew her number from Eren’s phone photo. Her daughter answered and said, “Aunt, Narin hasn’t come here.” Then I thought of her aunt Azize Kaya. Azize had told her, “Narin, don’t go — we’ll go together in the evening.” I ran there, knocked on Azize’s door, asked, “Did Narin come here?” She said, “No, Yüksel, she didn’t.” I got scared. I said, “The mosque is big; it’s under construction. Maybe she was playing there and got hurt.” I ran to the mosque, banged on the door with both hands: “Open the door! Narin is missing!” People gathered around. I saw İsa Kaya beside me. He said, “Yüksel, Narin was here at six.” When he said that, I relaxed a little. I thought, “She must be with her school friends, playing with the carrots.” We all started searching — up and down, everywhere, looking for Narin. We couldn’t find her. Even Gazal, Nevzo’s wife, came with me, comforting me: “Don’t worry, Yüksel, nothing’s wrong. Maybe she fell asleep somewhere.” I remember it clearly. She said she’d once fallen asleep in a field overnight. She was trying to calm me. Soon everyone in the village was looking for Narin — every hole, every pit, every dangerous place, we checked. I don’t know who called the gendarmerie, but suddenly the world came crashing down on us. Everyone was on their phones, calling each other. It felt like the whole world had come into Tavşantepe.​

Presiding Judge : So you didn’t kill Narin?​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, how could I kill my own daughter?​

Presiding Judge : Then did Salim kill her?​

Yüksel Güran : It never crossed my mind.​

Presiding Judge : Could Salim have done it?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : Could Nevzat have done it?​

Yüksel Güran : It’s unclear. I’m not defending anyone.​

Presiding Judge : What do you mean unclear? Nevzat isn’t saying “I killed her.” He says Salim killed her. Salim did it. I took her. Yüksel saw it.​

Yüksel Güran : If Salim did it, or whoever did it, I leave them to God and to you. You should give them the heaviest punishment.​

Presiding Judge : Could your son have done it?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : Ms. Yüksel, from the beginning, the records state that your statement was taken in Kurdish. In those records and in the TV interviews you participated in, you always say things like, “We recited Yasin. Whoever killed Narin, let them bring her body, at least so we know where she is.”​

Yüksel Güran : No, absolutely not. We never said that. I swear, I have never said anything about killing Narin. As I said before, there was Hüseyin Kaya. He said at around three o’clock — I know a few minutes after that — a car came honking fast and stopped in front of our house. My mind was completely on that car. I said to myself, “Narin must have come, or someone has kidnapped her.” We even mentioned the Bingöl girl — I swear, I had lost myself completely. My family laid me down on the couch. Then my sister-in-law came and said, “Yüksel, get up, someone is asking for you.” I barely got up, and a woman came, hugged me around the neck, and cried. I was already crying. She said, “My mother is bedridden and sick. I lost my brother. Go to Yüksel’s side.” I didn’t even recognize her. Whoever came would throw themselves at me crying, and I cried with them.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, let’s change the topic a bit, to refresh our minds. Were you aware of this argument among the women?​

Yüksel Güran : No. At that time, I was inside the ambulance.​

Presiding Judge : The women, apparently, shouted insults at you — saying if you had told the truth, things wouldn’t have come to this point. They looked at you and called you names like “whore.”​

Yüksel Güran : No, I didn’t see anyone. I wasn’t even myself at that time. Commander Hülya came. I had already heard her name on television before. That gendarmerie officer — I knew by then something had happened to Narin. My aunt kept saying, “It’s not certain yet, it’s not certain,” trying to comfort me.​

Presiding Judge : The gendarmerie officers concluded that you were trying to protect Enes. Because in the reports, it says the mother seemed to be trying to protect Enes — wondering, “How can I save Enes? How can I protect Enes?” That’s their impression.​

Yüksel Güran : I’ll explain that too. I was at the police station. Excuse me, I went to the restroom. Commander Hülya came in with me. She said, “Yüksel, I’ll come to your house tomorrow. Tell them you’re on your period, and take me into your bedroom. I’ll tell you something.” I said to myself, “God, what is this commander going to say to me?” She didn’t come the first day, but came the second day. Same thing — she went to the restroom, I took her into the bedroom. She said, “Yüksel, in Ankara, there’s an apartment where your photo is. Enes’s, your whole family’s, and your husband’s photos are there. I’ll kill all of them. They are mafia — a big mafia. And they’re all asking about you.” Excuse me, I’m ashamed to say this in front of people, but I’ll say it.​

Presiding Judge : Go ahead, don’t be ashamed.​

Yüksel Güran : I have to. She said, “We’ll rape Enes, throw him in front of the door. I’ll kill Eren, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him all.” I’m not exaggerating — that’s what she said. I was terrified. I kept saying, “God, what will happen to my children? What will happen to Enes?”​

Presiding Judge : Does that sound logical to you?​

Yüksel Güran : That’s what she told me.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. But what kind of hostility could you have with a mafia?​

Yüksel Güran : That’s what she said to me.​

Presiding Judge : Ms. Yüksel, if I told you something right now, would you believe everything I say? Why did you believe that officer’s claim?​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t believe it. Maybe that’s why — because my son was small. I was inside the station.​

Presiding Judge : Didn’t you say, “What business do we have with the mafia? We’re just villagers”?​

Yüksel Güran : I did say that. I was saying, “God, what mafia is this?” I was in shock.​

Presiding Judge : So after that, you started thinking, “How can I save Enes?”​

Yüksel Güran : I was at the station. There were ten gendarmerie officers around me — all those officers.​

Presiding Judge : What’s the name of that commander?​

Yüksel Güran : Commander Hülya. That’s what she told me.​

Presiding Judge : Commander Hülya.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Presiding Judge : She told you that.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, she did.​

Presiding Judge : And after that, you started thinking, “How can I save Enes?” So that’s the reason you said that — right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I was scared. For example, at the station, I had come to know all the officers by then. Enes would be taken to another room with a prayer book in his hand. I’d ask them, “How is Enes?” I even begged the commander, “Please, let me hug my son once.” My children were innocent. Why would I be afraid of my own children? Why would I protect them?​

Presiding Judge : The claim is this — they interpret it as: Enes killed Narin. And in this region, boys are considered valuable. Narin is gone, but at least don’t let Enes go to prison. That’s the claim.​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, there’s no such thing among us.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, hold on. You have the right not to answer this question. If Enes had killed Narin, would you hand him over with your own hands?​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, I would.​

Presiding Judge : Alright.​

Yüksel Güran : No one in this world was as precious to me as Narin. I had another daughter, Tülin — she was seven when I cared for her. She never called me “mother,” never once asked me for food. She was disabled. When she died, I gave all my love to Narin. I had five sons, and their father too — we all adored Narin.​

Presiding Judge : Is that why you named her Narin?​

Yüksel Güran : No, the other one was Tülin, this one is Narin.​

Presiding Judge : Why did you choose the name Narin?​

Yüksel Güran : My other daughter was named Tülin.​

Presiding Judge : Yes, I understand that.​

Yüksel Güran : We named her Narin because she was so precious to us.​

Presiding Judge : I see. So that’s why you called her Narin.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. We all loved Narin deeply.​

Presiding Judge : I understand. Now, let me ask again — those statements like, “Whoever killed her, let them bring her body, at least let us know where she is, at least let us know her grave” — what was the reason for those words?​

Yüksel Güran : I absolutely never said such a thing. I swear, I didn’t even say it like that. The whole country was searching for Narin — digging everywhere — and they couldn’t find her. Our pain was unbearable. I said, “Death is sweet compared to this.” When someone dies, they have a grave. Where is Narin? She’s an eight-year-old girl. That’s what I meant.​

Presiding Judge : So you may have used those words, but not in that sense.​

Yüksel Güran : No, absolutely not.​

Presiding Judge : So you’re not denying saying the words, but you’re saying the meaning behind them wasn’t what people think — right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. I only said, “Death is sweet compared to this.” The whole country is searching for my daughter and can’t find her.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. Now, Ms. Yüksel, there’s this HTS analysis report. Your attorneys object to it. We’ll decide at the end of the trial whether it’s valid or not. According to this report, your phone was at home.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, my phone was at home.​

Presiding Judge : Enes’s phone was also at home.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I don’t know if Enes took it or not. Maybe Muhammed took it. I wasn’t using the phone at all.​

Presiding Judge : At 15:20, Salim enters the house.​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not!​

Presiding Judge : Listen now.​

Yüksel Güran : He absolutely did not come to our house!​

Presiding Judge : You’re saying Nevzat is the one who killed her — that’s what you said, right? According to Nevzat’s statement — and you said “that’s what Nevzat said” — Nevzat claims he came to your house. The base station data also shows that Nevzat entered Arif’s house. But the same base data shows you were at home, Enes was at home, and Salim also came to the house.​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, neither Salim nor Nevzat came to our house. They may have walked around outside the house — we didn’t know. We were sleeping at home, I swear.​

Presiding Judge : You weren’t sleeping at 16:00. You were awake at the same time they were supposedly walking around the house.​

Yüksel Güran : What time was that?​

Presiding Judge : Around 15:30 — half past three.​

Yüksel Güran : Three, fifteen. We were at home.​

Presiding Judge : Okay, you were at home, awake. If they were walking around the house, wouldn’t you have seen them?​

Yüksel Güran : Even if they came around the house, we were inside. It was hot. The air conditioner was on. The windows were closed. How would we see or hear anyone?​

Presiding Judge : But there must be shade outside.​

Yüksel Güran : No, we couldn’t see. The windows—​

Presiding Judge : In a village, don’t houses have shaded areas visible from the window?​

Yüksel Güran : Whoever comes outside, how would we know? We were inside, sitting or lying down.​

Presiding Judge : What kind of village is this?​

Yüksel Güran : There are no houses around ours.​

Presiding Judge : Exactly. Since there are no nearby houses, you’d be even more curious if you heard a sound outside.​

Yüksel Güran : We were inside. Until Hediye came, we were lying down. We didn’t go out at all. I swear, we didn’t.​

Presiding Judge : So you didn’t hear any footsteps, voices, nothing outside?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : Cars? Any car at all?​

Yüksel Güran : I’ve given statements a thousand times. If I’d heard or seen a car, I’d have opened the window to see who it was.​

Presiding Judge : Let me ask another claim — did you have any kind of relationship with Salim?​

Yüksel Güran : No. I swear, I swear, I had no connection with Salim. I swear on the Qur’an.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, Ms. Yüksel. Let’s assume Nevzat is lying. I’m reading from the accusations — the entire indictment, the defense’s claims, and those from the Diyarbakır Bar Association. I’m not accepting or rejecting any yet, okay? We’ll explain our reasoning in the verdict later. For now, let me ask — when you went into the barn, did you see your son in an inappropriate situation with someone?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : Did you see him with another girl?​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not.​

Presiding Judge : Did you see any sexual act with an animal?​

Yüksel Güran : No, no, no. My children are intelligent boys. There’s no such thing.​

Presiding Judge : So you didn’t witness Enes doing anything like that?​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not.​

Presiding Judge : Okay. Now, about the relationship between Salim’s family and Arif’s family — I mean family relations, not sexual relations — was everything normal between your families?​

Yüksel Güran : We had no problems at all.​

Presiding Judge : Was Salim Güran the head of the family?​

Yüksel Güran : Salim is the head of his own household. Arif is the head of his. Only Salim owns some farmland. No one is the head over anyone else’s home.​

Presiding Judge : Understood.​

Presiding Judge : Is it possible that Nevzat is slandering Salim?​

Yüksel Güran : They know. God knows.​

Presiding Judge : God knows.​

Yüksel Güran : God knows.​

Presiding Judge : God knows everything. Is it possible that Nevzat is slandering you?​

Yüksel Güran : Of course. He’s definitely slandering me.​

Presiding Judge : That’s what I was going to ask. Why? Why would Nevzat slander two people at once? If he just said, “I killed her, and Salim gave me the body,” he’d only implicate Salim. Why would he also drag you into it?​

Yüksel Güran : Let me tell you something — he’s an idiot. Salim killed a chicken, and in two minutes, he becomes an accomplice.​

Presiding Judge : Seven minutes.​

Yüksel Güran : How can someone become an accomplice in five minutes?​

Presiding Judge : We’ll see.​

Yüksel Güran : I want to get out of here. I want Narin. I want the reason for Narin.​

Presiding Judge : Hopefully.​

Yüksel Güran : They didn’t let me. Your Honor, I wanted to dress Narin in a wedding gown, but they wrapped her in a shroud. They dressed my daughter in a shroud.​

Presiding Judge : That’s why we’re here.​

Yüksel Güran : They destroyed our dreams. They destroyed our home. They stained my honor. I’ve been married for 22 years. Go ask anyone in that village. Check every phone. Anyone who saw me betray my husband — I couldn’t live with that. I’ve been married 22 years. I never made a mistake. I have five children. May God reform them. Look, all of this is nonsense. How could I stain my own honor? My husband — for 22 years, not once did he slap me. Not once did he spit in my face. He treated me like a flower. I devoted myself to him completely. That’s the kind of woman I am. I get up at five in the morning for four or five kilos of okra. If I had my eye on anyone else, I wouldn’t get up at five for okra. I do it for my children’s allowance, for their future. To buy a dish for my house, a blanket for my children. Kill me if you must. But I have nothing to do with Salim. Hang me right here.​

Presiding Judge : Then why is Nevzat lying like this?​

Yüksel Güran : He’s lying. Look at his face.​

Presiding Judge : Look at me.​

Yüksel Güran : Is he even human?​

Presiding Judge : Look at me, look at me.​

Yüksel Güran : Is he human? Kill me, but don’t stain my honor. Don’t stain the Güran family.​

Presiding Judge : He says there’s no such thing.​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely, there isn’t.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. Enes didn’t come home, and Salim didn’t either.​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, I swear on the Qur’an, Salim and Nevzat never came to our house. This is my sin now. I have five children. Eren says, “Mom, why are you here? Why aren’t you coming home?” Poor kids — their psychology is completely ruined.​

Presiding Judge : Yes. It’s always the children who suffer. What time did you go to the mosque? You said you knocked on the mosque door around evening prayer and the villagers came.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Presiding Judge : Around what time was that?​

Yüksel Güran : We were home, the call to prayer was being recited.​

Presiding Judge : Evening prayer. The evening adhan is between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. on August 21.​

Yüksel Güran : Then when we went to the mosque to look for Narin, and when we came back home, all the gendarmerie had already arrived. That’s when these statements started. Şeyma Kaya said, “I saw Narin around 4 or 4:30, picking grape leaves.”​

Presiding Judge : Yes, you said that.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I said that.​

Presiding Judge : I understand. I was just asking about the time because you mentioned a different hour before. Any questions? Judge? Anything to ask? Alright, we’ll continue later. Mr. Prosecutor, do you have any questions? Please, bring the microphone closer. Go ahead.​

Trial Prosecutor ​

Trial Prosecutor : Around 13:30, after Narin left the house, you said you went to sleep, right?​

Yüksel Güran : When Narin left, we went to sleep.​

Trial Prosecutor : Alright. Not important. About that time. When did you wake up?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know what time it was.​

Trial Prosecutor : Approximately?​

Yüksel Güran : I can’t remember the time at all. I was the first to get up and drink some water.​

Trial Prosecutor : Two, three, four o’clock? You didn’t sleep until eight?​

Yüksel Güran : No, no. When Hediye came, I don’t know what time it was. I swear, I didn’t know the time.​

Trial Prosecutor : Okay. Was Muhammed also asleep?​

Yüksel Güran : When Hediye came, Muhammed had already woken up.​

Trial Prosecutor : Who opened the door for Hediye? She came twice.​

Yüksel Güran : You can ask Hediye about that.​

Trial Prosecutor : Who told you Hediye had arrived the first time?​

Yüksel Güran : Muhammed and Eren.​

Trial Prosecutor : Muhammed, yes.​

Yüksel Güran : I think Muhammed or Eren opened the door for her.​

Trial Prosecutor : Eren opened the door, right?​

Yüksel Güran : He opened it the first time. The second time, the door was open, and Hediye came inside.​

Trial Prosecutor : In your first statement to the prosecutor, you said Muhammed opened the door.​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t know. You told me that. I didn’t know.​

Trial Prosecutor : You said Muhammed opened the door.​

Yüksel Güran : I said that. I’m telling the truth. I said both of them got up and said, “Mom, Aunt Hediye brought my dress.” I said it was Muhammed, but later I realized Eren had opened it.​

Trial Prosecutor : Alright.​

Yüksel Güran : Because I was lying down.​

Trial Prosecutor : You said Muhammed also slept at noon. Yes? You both slept, right? Enes said earlier in his statement that he woke up at 16:00. He said, “I woke up at 16:00 and went outside.”​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : He said Muhammed was still asleep.​

Yüksel Güran : Enes was mistaken.​

Trial Prosecutor : Pardon?​

Yüksel Güran : Enes spoke incorrectly. Because I was there.​

Trial Prosecutor : Enes can’t be mistaken his whole life. He said the same thing to the prosecutor’s office.​

Yüksel Güran : The children don’t always remember things.​

Trial Prosecutor : Wait a moment. Look, you said you went to bed at 1:30. Let’s go step by step.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : It’s now 4:00. Enes is going out. Hediye came — your sister-in-law Hediye. You woke up. Hediye was in the house.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : Muhammed was asleep. Muhammed was still sleeping.​

Yüksel Güran : No, Muhammed wasn’t sleeping.​

Trial Prosecutor : He wasn’t.​

Yüksel Güran : Eren is wrong. Enes is wrong.​

Trial Prosecutor : So Enes is lying?​

Yüksel Güran : It’s not a lie. It’s wrong.​

Trial Prosecutor : You would know whether someone was asleep, Yüksel.​

Defense Counsel for Defendant Yüksel : You didn’t let me ask this question earlier.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. He said it wrong. Maybe the child remembered it incorrectly.​

Presiding Judge : Good thing I didn’t. I did well not to.​

Defense Counsel for Defendant Yüksel : But you let them ask now.​

Presiding Judge : Yes, and I said it was good that I did — for both of them. What else can I say?​

Defense Counsel for Defendant Yüksel : You’re contradicting yourself.​

Presiding Judge : That’s fine. I said it was good for both sides. What can I say?​

Yüksel Güran : Let me also say this. Maybe Enes doesn’t remember everything. He’s a child.​

Trial Prosecutor : Alright then. Enes doesn’t remember everything — he’s a child. We’ll leave that aside. You said you stepped outside the door. Enes went out around 4:00. The exact time isn’t important. You were seeing Hediye off, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : You said you went to the door. Where was Enes at that moment? Was he coming from the other side?​

Yüksel Güran : We stepped outside, like from the balcony. Enes came from outside.​

Trial Prosecutor : Did Enes and Hediye see each other?​

Yüksel Güran : Hediye was there. Enes says he didn’t see her — I was surprised too.​

Trial Prosecutor : Okay, Hediye says in her statement that you told her something.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, maybe he didn’t see her and then remembered later.​

Trial Prosecutor : You said, “Son, why did you come back so early? There weren’t many people outside.”​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : Did you say that?​

Yüksel Güran : I think so, yes, I told him that, son.​

Trial Prosecutor : Was Hediye with you when that conversation happened?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, she was.​

Trial Prosecutor : Alright, so that’s the second contradiction for Enes. Enes again. Okay.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, Enes is mistaken. I was there, I saw it, he’s mistaken.​

Trial Prosecutor : Okay. Enes called his brother Osman about the slippers. Was he near you when he made that call?​

Yüksel Güran : I was in the kitchen, but I could hear their voices.​

Trial Prosecutor : You heard them. He asked for slippers, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I even told him, “Son, if you go all the way to Dörtyol and back, you’ll be late.”​

Trial Prosecutor : So you knew he asked for slippers?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I was in the kitchen, I heard him say his brother came.​

Trial Prosecutor : Was there really such a shortage of slippers? Why is that?​

Yüksel Güran : The child came home, his slippers were torn, so he asked his brother for a pair.​

Trial Prosecutor : Still, you had a boy who worked as a waiter, coming home from town by minibus — and you’d have him go buy slippers from the town?​

Yüksel Güran : We just say what we need. Whatever we’re missing, we tell them.​

Trial Prosecutor : Now, there was a course that ended around 4:00, right? Your daughter’s class lasted until 4:00. The time is 19:11 — according to our calculations, that’s evening prayer in that area. About three hours have passed, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : So the moment you realized, you called out to Maşallah and started searching. But a girl who left class at 4:00 — three hours have passed — did she fall somewhere, get hurt, get hungry? Didn’t you think about her at all for those three hours?​

Yüksel Güran : She told me she was going to Fatma Hatice’s.​

Trial Prosecutor : But there’s no Fatma Hatice. You mean Maşallah’s daughters, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Trial Prosecutor : You could have at least called out, “Maşallah, is Narin there?” Three hours had passed.​

Yüksel Güran : She told me, “Mom, let me go,” so I let her.​

Trial Prosecutor : Okay, so it didn’t cross your mind?​

Yüksel Güran : She was going to stay the night.​

Trial Prosecutor : Alright. So you were calm for those three hours.​

Yüksel Güran : I had left her at that house. If I had gone to the hospital or somewhere else, Narin would have been there until evening.​

Trial Prosecutor : Okay. Does your door have a bell?​

Yüksel Güran : No, we don’t have a bell.​

Trial Prosecutor : So how do people enter the house? Is there a wire or something?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, they pull a wire.​

Trial Prosecutor : So your children and Narin enter by pulling the wire? They don’t have to knock?​

Yüksel Güran : When Narin was inside, I told the lawyers too — she could push it open from the inside, but when she was outside, she couldn’t open it.​

Trial Prosecutor : Alright, I understand. So that day, how did the children and Narin usually enter the house — by pushing?​

Yüksel Güran : No, they knocked. If someone was inside, they opened it. I told the lawyers, but it was hard to open from the outside. It was stiff, so they struggled.​

Presiding Judge : So it’s a pull-type latch? You pull it with a string? She wasn’t strong enough?​

Yüksel Güran : She wasn’t strong enough. When she was inside, she pushed it open.​

Presiding Judge : I see.​

Yüksel Güran : She could open it, but it was hard to do from outside.​

Trial Prosecutor : I understand. Alright. Thank you, Your Honor.​

Presiding Judge : Yes, Madam Judge. Right — you said the second time Hediye came, the door was open. Was the door open?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Presiding Judge : But you said the air conditioners were running in the house.​

Yüksel Güran : It wasn’t wide open. I think it was partly open. But then I saw Hediye arrive.​

Presiding Judge : So you didn’t open the door for Hediye?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : Then maybe she pulled the latch and opened it?​

Yüksel Güran : I think it was already open. You can ask Hediye. I just saw her come inside.​

Presiding Judge : Okay. So you’re not sure. We’ll ask Hediye.​

Diyarbakır Bar Association ​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir ​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Ms. Yüksel, do you know Gazal Bahtiyar?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I know her.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : On the evening of the incident—​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : After 4:00 p.m., I’m asking about you.​

Yüksel Güran : I can recall that.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : When you realized that Narin was missing—​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : You told Muhammed. He went, said he couldn’t find her, and then you went out.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : You went to Maşallah’s, Hediye’s, and several other houses to look, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I called them on the phone.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : While you were walking toward Nevzat Bahtiyar’s house, did you run into Gazal?​

Yüksel Güran : No. Gazal came to us near the mosque.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Alright.​

Yüksel Güran : I was walking around Nevzat’s house.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Okay. When you encountered Gazal in the area near the mosque, did you have a conversation with her?​

Yüksel Güran : I was searching for Narin — shouting and crying while looking for her. She was behind me, trying to comfort me. She was saying, “Yüksel, calm down, you’ll find Narin. She’s probably resting somewhere. Pull yourself together.” She was saying things like that to me.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Did you say anything like, “Which one of you took my daughter”? Maybe to Gazal, maybe to someone else — do you remember saying that?​

Yüksel Güran : No, I don’t remember ever saying that. Gazal didn’t say Narin was gone either. When Narin disappeared, we were looking for her. We thought she might have been taken or something happened to her. Narin wasn’t around. We were searching for her. I don’t remember saying, “Whoever took my daughter, bring her back.”​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Did you say anything like, “At least let my daughter have a grave”?​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Any shouting, any such words, anything at all?​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not, I didn’t say that.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : You didn’t.​

Yüksel Güran : I swear.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : On the day of the incident, around 1 p.m., Narin told you she wanted to go to the Qur’an course, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : And at first, you objected, but later you gave her permission. When you gave permission, you knew her class would end around 4:00 and she would return home, correct?​

Yüksel Güran : No, she said, “I’m going to Fatma Hatice’s. Mom, I’ll stay there until evening.”​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Until what time in the evening?​

Yüksel Güran : Normally the kids stay out until 6 or 7. We have to drag them home from the street. The village kids play there, and we bring them back. I knew she wouldn’t be home until dinner.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : After Narin left the house — around 1:30 in the afternoon.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Until around 4:00 or even 4:30 in the evening — were you at home the entire time, or did you go out?​

Yüksel Güran : We didn’t go anywhere.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : You didn’t go anywhere at all.​

Yüksel Güran : No, I swear. The children maybe, yes — Enes went out, Muhammed went out. But I didn’t go anywhere.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Did you see Salim or anyone else around the house?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : You didn’t.​

Presiding Judge : Are you recording? The lady with glasses — are you an attorney? You? When phones are lifted up like that, it draws attention. You’re not recording, right? You’re an attorney? Yes? You? You’re not recording, right? Friends, please, I’m asking — no video recording. Look, video recordings put us in a difficult position. I understand, making videos here, posting them is tempting. I don’t use Twitter, but it would probably get retweets. It’s nice for you, but it’s disrespectful to the court, and under the Turkish Penal Code, it’s a crime. Understand? So please, let’s avoid any accusations of that kind, alright? Because when you hold the phone like that, I perceive it as recording. You’re right to want to record, and I’ll be careful too, but I’m asking you to be careful. Go ahead, counsel.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : During the day or evening — could be before or after Narin disappeared — did you ever see Salim?​

Yüksel Güran : I swear I didn’t see him. Not at all. I only said that maybe when I lowered the switch, someone saw him at Hüseyin Güran’s door. Maybe for a second. I swear I didn’t see him myself.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : During the day, when you were home, was your phone always with you?​

Yüksel Güran : The phone was with the children.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : When you left the house later that evening, did you take the phone with you?​

Yüksel Güran : Me?​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Yes.​

Yüksel Güran : No, never. When the children were home, I didn’t use the phone. Because when they were home and playing with it, wherever I went I would tell them, “Son, look, I’m here,” and they would call me. I absolutely didn’t take the phone with me.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Can you tell me the names of Salim’s children?​

Yüksel Güran : Of course. Dilek, Gamze, İlayda, Devran, Gülsüm, Miran.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : On the day Narin went missing, did you see any of those children?​

Yüksel Güran : No, I didn’t see them at all.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : Not in front of the house, in the barn, the yard, the garden, the street, or in front of Salim’s house?​

Yüksel Güran : No, in the late afternoon, around five, his wife, his kids, his sister — they were all at the door. The children were all outside after five. But I swear, I didn’t see any of them. I didn’t even go around the house.​

Law. Mehdi Özdemir : After the incident, did you wash the carpets or floors inside the house?​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not. In the morning, I sent Enes’s clothes to Hediye’s house.​

Law. Nahit Eren ​

Law. Nahit Eren : I have a question for a mother. I’ll preface it with a few things.​

Presiding Judge : Yes, as long as you don’t make a comment.​

Law. Nahit Eren : I won’t comment. My statement will include some questions, but before that — ever since the Narin case began — I want to say this because I’ll be asking a mother a question. Before I question a mother, I must acknowledge the weight of the Diyarbakır Bar Association’s institutional identity. I won’t interrogate you. I’ll only ask a few questions. Technically, it’s an interrogation, but I won’t treat it like one. And I’ll tell you why. You see this crowd here today, don’t you? So many people have come. Have you ever seen a trial or a court hearing before?​

Yüksel Güran : Never in my life. I’ve never even seen a police station, let alone something like this.​

Presiding Judge : Of course she hasn’t — how could she?​

Law. Nahit Eren : We have, Your Honor, that’s why I’m explaining. Yes, you have lawyers too, and we all respect the right to defense. The right to defense is sacred. Apart from your lawyers, nearly fifty bar presidents from all over Turkey are here, though not all their names were recorded in the minutes.​

Presiding Judge : I wrote it down later, during the break.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Around fifty bar presidents are here. Representatives from all organizations in Turkey working on women’s and children’s rights are here. Members of Parliament are here.​

Yüksel Güran : Thank you.​

Law. Nahit Eren : We’re all here. And let me say something very special — truly special. You know why we’re all here? We’re all here for Narin.​

Yüksel Güran : We’re all here for Narin.​

Law. Nahit Eren : None of us are here to use this case for personal gain, as some have claimed. Everyone here is a lawyer who has already proven their integrity. Anyone who tries to benefit from Narin’s case — in any way, in this courtroom — in my view, is in the same category as the one who killed Narin.​

Yüksel Güran : God will not let Narin’s right go unanswered.​

Law. Nahit Eren : You’ll see where I’m going with this.​

Yüksel Güran : He won’t let it go.​

Law. Nahit Eren : We all wanted to take part in this case. Everyone did. To do something for Narin. To stand beside the prosecutor and uncover the truth — to ensure those who killed her are punished. You — your daughter died. Your second daughter was also killed. Killed. Killed. Both of your daughters were killed.​

Yüksel Güran : They killed me too.​

Law. Nahit Eren : May God protect your children for you.​

Yüksel Güran : They killed me too.​

Law. Nahit Eren : I’m speaking to your conscience. That’s why I’m saying all this. I’ll appeal to your conscience. Do you see this file?​

Yüksel Güran : I see it.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Do you see these papers? The writing on them?​

Yüksel Güran : I see them.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Do you know who prepared this file? I’ve been involved since Narin’s autopsy. I have three daughters. These labels — my daughters made them at home for Narin, to contribute to her case. All this handwriting — it’s theirs. So that Narin’s killer would be found. So we could do our part. In Turkey, no child has ever been embraced like this before. Maybe that was our mistake — that we didn’t show this care earlier, and that’s why we lost Narin. If we had, maybe she’d still be alive today.​

Presiding Judge : Counsel, let’s move on to the question now.​

Law. Nahit Eren : The question is tied to what I’m saying. I’m speaking to her feelings and her conscience. The solution to this case lies in a mother’s conscience. I’ll ask her as a mother — as the defendant.​

Presiding Judge : We already discussed last session how sensitive the Diyarbakır Bar Association is to issues like torture.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Your Honor, everyone knows the Diyarbakır Bar well. That’s not a problem. I’ll ask her this. I said I wouldn’t interrogate her, right? On August 25^th, you were called in as a complainant. Do you know what a complainant is? It means you should be standing where I am right now — you should be here as the mother.​

Yüksel Güran : I know.​

Law. Nahit Eren : That’s what “complainant” means. You were called to the station on the 25^th and gave your statement. They asked you what happened to your daughter — to help find her. I once said something on television, just once, about this case. I said, “In murder cases, the family helps us. The mother tells us something. The father, the brother, the uncle, the villagers — they all tell us something. That’s how we solve it.” Now they came to you and asked, “There’s a scarf,” and you said it was on the stairs.​

Yüksel Güran : What’s that?​

Law. Nahit Eren : Let me ask, Ms. Yüksel. You said to the imam, “The day after Narin died, I found a purple scarf on the stairs.” The imam asked, “Did Narin wear this scarf when she came to the Qur’an course at the mosque?”​

Yüksel Güran : Let me explain.​

Law. Nahit Eren : I’m reminding you of the imam so you remember what he told you.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : He said yes, she had a scarf like that on her head.​

Yüksel Güran : No. That scarf—​

Law. Nahit Eren : No, the imam’s statement — the one based on what you said. I can remind you. Where is that scarf now?​

Yüksel Güran : He came to me on the second day.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Where is that scarf now?​

Yüksel Güran : That wasn’t the scarf.​

Law. Nahit Eren : What do you mean?​

Yüksel Güran : The imam said it looked like it, but he wasn’t sure.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Let me read it then.​

Yüksel Güran : No — if he had said, “That’s the one,” I would have handed it to the gendarmerie. It was at home.​

Law. Nahit Eren : So you’re saying he said it looked similar. Let me ask — where is that scarf you showed the imam?​

Yüksel Güran : It was at home.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Where is it now? Still at home, I assume?​

Law. Nahit Eren : Is it still there?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Where did you find it?​

Yüksel Güran : You know. But that scarf was there at noon, he said. Because I washed that balcony in the evening.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Of course — I’m asking where exactly you found it.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Let me tell it first. The imam came to us. There were many people on the balcony. He called me over and said, “Yüksel, I was teaching at the mosque. I looked up and saw Narin and the children watching us through the window. I told them, ‘This isn’t a cinema. If you want to learn, come inside and take lessons.’ Then I saw Narin come in. She was wearing a skirt — a purple skirt — and had a purple shawl. I even said, ‘Mina, is she your sister?’ and she said, ‘No, she’s my cousin, Uncle Arif’s daughter.’ I said, ‘Oh, I didn’t know she was Arif’s daughter. Her eyes look like Osman’s,’” the imam told me. Then he said, “When the class ended, she took off her skirt and her shawl. Her hair was uncovered. She removed the purple skirt.” I said, “Yes, teacher, she had a purple skirt, that’s correct.” Muhammed said when she left the house, she had a lunch bag. It was pink. He told that to the gendarmerie. I told the teacher, “I washed that balcony in the evening; there was nothing there.” That night I was crying. The women were with me there. I didn’t even own a purple shawl back then. If there was some confusion, I didn’t know. I told them that when I sat with the women that night, I saw that shawl among the skewers. I said, ‘This is it, teacher.’”​

Law. Nahit Eren : When you say “skewers,” what do you mean?​

Yüksel Güran : The balcony. Outside. Yes, outside.​

Law. Nahit Eren : You saw it there. And it belonged to you, right? To your house?​

Yüksel Güran : It was mine.​

Law. Nahit Eren : The one you showed?​

Yüksel Güran : He looked at it and said, “I’m not sure, but it looks like it.” That’s what I said in my statement too. If he had said, “Yes, that’s the shawl,” I would’ve handed it to the gendarmerie immediately. It was on our balcony.​

Law. Nahit Eren : And that shawl is still at home?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, it’s still at home. I haven’t been home for two months, but I believe it’s there. It should be at home.​

Law. Nahit Eren : As I said, this isn’t an interrogation — I’m just continuing from the statements. Hediye came to your house.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : She came around three, turned the valve off and on, and went back to her house.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : She dropped off the clothes at your place, went home, saw something had overflowed, and came back at 15:45, she says. When she came back, what was Muhammed doing?​

Yüksel Güran : Muhammed — I think Muhammed was home.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Was he sleeping?​

Yüksel Güran : No, he couldn’t have been asleep.​

Law. Nahit Eren : You were all in the same room — Muhammed, Hediye, everyone. Did Muhammed see Hediye, in your opinion?​

Yüksel Güran : I think Muhammed was there when Hediye came, but at that moment, I wasn’t home. As far as I know, though, he was home.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Muhammed was home. He didn’t say he wasn’t home. So did he see her?​

Yüksel Güran : When Hediye came, I told her, “The kids said, Aunt Hediye came, dropped off the clothes, and left.” I said, “Son, why didn’t you wake me up?” He said, “Mom, she didn’t leave yet.” I was just saying that when, a minute or two later, I saw Hediye there. Hediye came to us. So when she came, I said the same thing to her. And Muhammed was there.​

Law. Nahit Eren : You’ve said all this before. I just want to confirm — Muhammed was home and saw Hediye with you?​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, I think Muhammed was home. He saw her. Yes, I’m saying he was home. I can’t remember clearly. Maybe he told me later — I don’t know.​

Presiding Judge : You say “I think.” So you’re not sure, right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Did Muhammed leave the house with Enes?​

Yüksel Güran : No, Enes was still sleeping.​

Law. Nahit Eren : But later they left — Enes got up. Enes woke up.​

Yüksel Güran : Enes is mistaken.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Enes says, “I woke up, saw Hediye, asked how she was, then left the house.” When he left, did Muhammed go out after him?​

Yüksel Güran : Muhammed had gone out earlier.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Muhammed went out earlier.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I said here — Enes was mistaken. When Enes woke up, Muhammed wasn’t there. He wasn’t asleep. Enes woke up groggy. I’m telling you, Enes was wrong. When Enes woke up, Muhammed wasn’t sleeping.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Did Muhammed and Enes return home together?​

Yüksel Güran : In the evening?​

Law. Nahit Eren : Yes.​

Yüksel Güran : Enes came once more. When he went up the hill and came back down, he returned home. Up to the hill — with friends.​

Law. Nahit Eren : That’s not what I’m asking.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : You heard him too. Enes said, “The first time I went out, I went to Tahir Market to buy a drink. Then, instead of getting into the car, I walked home to avoid helping Süheyla.” So, was Muhammed with him when he came back?​

Yüksel Güran : No, Muhammed wasn’t with him.​

Law. Nahit Eren : He wasn’t.​

Yüksel Güran : I can’t recall clearly. By then he had started working. Muhammed had come but hadn’t gone out. You’re still talking with Hediye — Hediye was still home.​

Presiding Judge : Ms. Yüksel, Ms. Yüksel — microphone, please.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Hediye was still home.​

Yüksel Güran : When Enes came, Muhammed — when Enes came home, Muhammed or Hediye had just left. The second time.​

Law. Nahit Eren : But they saw each other.​

Yüksel Güran : When Enes came inside, Hediye was still at the door.​

Law. Nahit Eren : I’m appealing to your conscience one last time. That day, did Hediye come to your house at all?​

Yüksel Güran : I swear she came twice.​

Law. Nahit Eren : No need to swear.​

Yüksel Güran : She came once — I was asleep. Then the second time.​

Law. Nahit Eren : So Hediye did come to your house that day.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, she stayed with us for about two hours in total.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Before three o’clock, did Hediye ever tell you where she had been? You know, you chatted — you sent the clothes around 10 a.m. to be washed.​

Yüksel Güran : No, she didn’t mention that.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Not during your conversation either?​

Yüksel Güran : No, she didn’t say anything about that.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Let me ask something. You know Abdurrahman — Hediye’s son.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : He’s an adult, grown up.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Nahit Eren : He said when he woke up at 1 p.m., Hediye wasn’t home. The last time he saw her was around 5 p.m.​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know about that.​

Law. Nahit Eren : So Hediye never talked to you about where she had been until then?​

Yüksel Güran : She said, “Yüksel, I brought your clothes. You were sleeping. I went to run the water pump. After I filled the tank, I turned it off. I thought, Yüksel must be awake now, I’ll go to her.” She didn’t mention anything else.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Alright, one last thing that’s been confusing me — and the court panel too. Can you explain the matter about the blood? Not the blood from the ambulance — I mean the turkey blood.​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t know anything about that.​

Law. Nahit Eren : The turkey, the turkey.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, the turkey. I said before — I woke up at 5 a.m.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Did that happen the day before?​

Yüksel Güran : It was that same night.​

Law. Nahit Eren : But in some places, you said it was the day before. I’m asking about the blood found on the stairs. Because let me explain — Your Honor, this is about evidence — a blood sample was found on the stairs of your annex.​

Yüksel Güran : You mean that one — that was Tahir Kaya’s blood. I didn’t know about it at all.​

Law. Nahit Eren : There was human blood found. But because so much time had passed, the DNA sample was too small to identify who it belonged to. Still, it was confirmed to be human blood, taken from the stairs near your annex. That’s why I’m asking. Can you explain the issue with the turkey and the dog — why did you mention them in your statements? Why are we talking about turkey blood? I’m trying to understand.​

Yüksel Güran : It wasn’t inside. In the morning — the turkey blood wasn’t inside. I was picking okra at 5 a.m. I woke up, checked how many rows were left, and saw a dead, torn-up turkey in front of me. I said to myself, “It must have been the dog,” because our turkeys stay outside at night. I said, “The dog must have eaten the turkey during the night.” When we came back in the evening, we had put the turkey in the barn. As for the blood in the house, I later heard it was Tahir Kaya’s — he had a nosebleed outside and got blood on himself. When he saw the blood, he went inside and asked for a tissue. That’s what I heard from people. It was that day, maybe the second or third day — I didn’t remember at the time. Then I heard about it later. There were many kids outside that day — they said his nose was bleeding.​

Law. Nahit Eren : I’m not talking about the blood on the rocks. You’re talking about that. Was the blood on the stones next to the barn Tahir’s blood?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, it was his blood.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Who said that?​

Yüksel Güran : The children were saying it. I heard it later.​

Law. Nahit Eren : The children said that. There was also a statement by the governor about that blood. Who said it belonged to Tahir?​

Yüksel Güran : There were many kids there. I heard it later.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Let me tell you something — that blood, the human blood, couldn’t be matched to anyone because of how much time had passed. But it was human. I’m asking because the blood seen on the fourth day wasn’t fresh. So the blood that was said to be Tahir’s — that wasn’t the same one. A blood sample was found on the stairs.​

Yüksel Güran : I heard about that later too. Yes, I heard later they said it was Tahir’s blood.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Do you think the one on the stairs was also Tahir’s?​

Yüksel Güran : Look, I’ll tell you — later, some gendarmerie came. They said they were taking blood samples. I asked, “What happened? What blood are they talking about?” The children said, “Tahir Kaya’s nose bled, and he got blood on the stones. Then he touched it with his hand, went inside, and asked for a tissue.” I swear I had no idea about that blood. I didn’t even know there was blood there. I only heard about it later.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Alright.​

Presiding Judge : Any other questions, Mr. Nahit?​

Law. Nahit Eren : Thank you, Your Honor.​

Presiding Judge : Thank you. Any further questions from the Diyarbakır Bar Association? If not, we’ll close after that.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Do you have internet on your phone?​

Yüksel Güran : If there’s a line, yes, but the kids usually don’t let me use it.​

Law. Nahit Eren : So your phone does have an internet line?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I think so — yes, it does.​

Law. Nahit Eren : So you have WhatsApp.​

Yüksel Güran : I have WhatsApp.​

Presiding Judge : Right, the photo of the phone and the slippers came. There was some inconsistency there, but yes, yes, I saw it. It’s confirmed. I saw it myself. But the slipper photo — we didn’t dwell on it much. We didn’t.​

Law. Nahit Eren : One last question. Among your sisters, which one loved Narin the most?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes. Everyone loved her.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Who loved her the most, for example? Among your sisters?​

Yüksel Güran : My sisters — truly, everyone loved Narin. Because she was my only daughter, my whole family loved her.​

Law. Nahit Eren : Can we say Yasemin loved her the most?​

Yüksel Güran : Yasemin loved her too. Everyone was very protective of Narin. Because I had only one daughter — I had lost my first one, who was disabled — so everyone loved this one even more.​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık ​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : This was asked earlier, but I’d like to clarify. Was the purple headscarf yours?​

Yüksel Güran : That purple headscarf wasn’t mine.​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : Not yours? The imam said Narin came wearing a purple scarf. Where did you see that scarf? On the stairs? At the door?​

Yüksel Güran : You know the balcony railing? I didn’t see it at first. I said, “Teacher, I saw this purple shawl here that night. This is it, or maybe it isn’t.” He looked and said, “I’m not entirely sure.”​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : Alright.​

Yüksel Güran : That’s what he told me. If he had said, “Yes, Yüksel, this is the purple shawl,” I would’ve immediately given it to the gendarmerie. The imam said, “It looks like that shawl.”​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : The imam told you it looked like the scarf Narin wore on her head?​

Yüksel Güran : It looked similar, yes.​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : And that scarf was yours.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, it was mine.​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : You have no other daughter who would wear a scarf, and you didn’t place it outside yourself. So didn’t you wonder how that scarf ended up outside?​

Yüksel Güran : Look, I had washed the balcony — there was nothing there. When I washed it, it was clean. That night, when everything happened, someone must have laid something out there — maybe a cushion or pillow for sitting. People were coming and sitting around. We were out searching for Narin. Later that night, when I sat down with the women, I noticed that purple scarf. At the time, I didn’t think — whether Narin had taken it or someone else had. The imam said she had a purple scarf on her head. I immediately went and brought the purple scarf and said, “Teacher, this is it.” He looked and said, “I’m not completely sure.” If he had said, “Yes, Yüksel, this is the one,” I would’ve given it to the gendarmerie immediately.​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : Alright, Ms. Yüksel. It’s normal that the imam couldn’t identify it for sure. But this scarf belonged to you, it was inside your home, and yet somehow it ended up outside without you touching it. Didn’t it occur to you that Narin might have taken it off, and why didn’t you inform the gendarmerie? After all, only two women in the house could have worn it — you or Narin.​

Yüksel Güran : I did say it. I’ve given thousands of statements. I said if the imam had confirmed it was purple, I would’ve told them someone must have brought this shawl there that night.​

Law. Asya Cemre Işık : Let me ask differently. The imam said it resembled Narin’s, and you didn’t put it outside. Didn’t you think Narin might have taken it off? Why didn’t you report it?​

Yüksel Güran : The imam said she had a purple skirt and a purple shawl. I said, “Teacher, if there was a purple shawl, it wasn’t this one. I saw this one here at night.” He said, “I’m not sure.” If he had said, “Yes, this was it,” I would’ve handed it to the gendarmerie immediately. Later we searched the house over and over — I’ve given thousands of statements. We never saw that lunch bag or the purple skirt again. I’ve said this many times. Yes, no further questions.​

Presiding Judge : Counsel for Arif Güran, do you have any questions? No.​

Ministry of Family and Social Services ​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun ​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : You have a statement dated August 25. In it, you said that around the time of the evening call to prayer, you asked Muhammed, “Where’s Narin?” and he said, “Mom, Narin’s not here.” Then you called Maşallah Güran over, and she said, “Around 5 o’clock, Narin was at our house.”​

Yüksel Güran : The statements later—​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : Let me finish. Then you went to the mosque, and İsa Kaya came to you and said, “Sister, I saw Narin around 6 o’clock in front of the mosque.” But by that time, Narin had already been killed and left by the riverbank. As a mother, didn’t you question these people? Why did they say such things to you?​

Yüksel Güran : That evening İbrahim Güran and the gendarmerie didn’t let me go anywhere. Regarding those statements — he said, “Aunt Yüksel, Şeyma said she saw her around 4:00–4:30.”​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : 4:30, but Maşallah said she was at your house at 5.​

Yüksel Güran : That 5 was Maşallah’s time. Şeyma — Şeyma Kaya. And İsa Kaya told me himself later.​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : He said he saw her at 6.​

Yüksel Güran : Then Maşallah Güran said, “I was ironing between 5:00 and 5:30. I was on the phone when someone knocked. I asked, ‘Who is it?’ She said Narin asked the girls something. I told her she must have gone to her grandmother’s.” Then Commander Hülya told me at the station, “Yüksel, Maide Kaya appears on camera looking up toward the hill.” I asked Maide, “Who were you talking to?” She said, “I was talking to Narin. I told her, ‘Narin, come down, let’s play.’ Narin said, ‘Maide, I’m tired, I’m sleepy, I’m hungry. I’m going home.’” Where is Narin? Narin came to you at 7. Enes was here. Where is Narin? They were pressing me. Then Commander Hülya came to our house, called me out, went west toward the slope — my sister-in-law’s son was there. She told him, “Go up to the house.” She said, “Look, Yüksel — it doesn’t add up. Narin was here at 7, Enes was here. Where is Narin?” They kept accusing me. I said, “Commander, at 7 there were so many people by Hüseyin Güran’s house — Süheyla was filling hay by the school, Enes Güran and his friends were there, many women, men, children behind him, the headman’s family was all outside. Where could Narin have gone at 7?” They kept interrogating me. The children weren’t lying.​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : So in summary, Maşallah Güran said she saw her at 5, and İsa Kaya said 6?​

Yüksel Güran : Maşallah told the gendarmerie. İbrahim Güran told me. The gendarmerie told me too.​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : You said, “I called her over. She came to our house around 5.”​

Yüksel Güran : Maşallah later came and told us. She had already given her statement first, then came to us.​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : But by that time Narin was already dead. Didn’t you question them about that?​

Yüksel Güran : I did. At first the gendarmerie blamed us. “It happened at 7, it happened at 7. Where’s Narin?” Then they said it happened in the barn.​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : So you didn’t ask these people why they lied?​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t go anywhere. I wasn’t in any condition. I told Maşallah, “I have proof. I was on the phone — the record is there.” I didn’t see the others at all. Then they said, “It happened in the barn, in the barn.” They kept blaming us. When new things came out, they said, “It happened inside the house, inside the house.” Wherever something happens, they throw it on us — me, my child. I swear we never saw Narin. I swear I wouldn’t trade even her fingernail for the world.​

Law. Elif Aslı Şahin Torun : Thank you.​

Presiding Judge : Thank you. Any questions?​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz ​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : After Narin disappeared, when did you inform your husband? When did you tell Arif Güran?​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t. Because I knew he was on the road, coming home. If I had said, “Narin’s missing,” he would have lost his mind. I didn’t call him. Everyone was comforting me — “Maybe she fell somewhere, maybe she’s nearby.” I didn’t call him. Later he called me. I don’t know who told him, but I heard it was Cevat Kaya who told Arif, “You’ve found Narin.” That’s how I heard it.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : And both Arif Güran and Salim Güran said they had no conflict or enmity with Nevzat. Did you ever notice any hostility or tension with Nevzat?​

Yüksel Güran : Never. Not at all — none.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : Then why would he kill your daughter? You’re also saying he did it. Enes, your son, says the same thing.​

Yüksel Güran : I’m not saying that. I’m not accusing anyone, Counselor.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : But why would he kill her, Ms. Yüksel? Why would Nevzat do such a thing? The uncle says their relations were good, they were family friends. The father says there was no hostility — that’s their own statement, not mine. Why would something like this happen?​

Yüksel Güran : A few days before the incident, my daughter came home holding twenty million lira. She said, “Mom, look, I have money.” I said, “Where did you get that money, my girl?” She said, “Brother Nevzat gave it to me.” Later, I mentioned this to the judge, but not to the prosecutor. When Nevzat was arrested and put into custody, that’s when it came to my mind. I said, “My daughter, shame on him — why would he give you money?” He had also given money to Süheyla. Then I didn’t think about it again. Now he comes out and says, “She was here, she was there.” I said before too — they claimed there was DNA in Salim’s car. They said he gave her something by the roadside. As a mother, my heart and mind were overwhelmed — I thought, “Oh God, this man has lost his mind and killed my daughter.” Later his statements kept changing — then he said it happened inside the house. I said, “He’s lying.” If he had said it happened on the road, the DNA would’ve shown up in his car. He would’ve said, “I threatened her, gave her something on the road.” Maybe, for a moment, my mother’s heart believed it — maybe he did it. But then I swore, that dishonorable man never set foot in our home.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, alright.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : My last question, Your Honor. Narin’s aunt, Yasemin Gül — when Narin’s body was recovered, there was an argument among the women in the family. She even turned to you during it.​

Yüksel Güran : I was in shock. The ambulance had arrived. Commander Hülya said, “My condolences.” I already knew Narin was gone. I wasn’t myself — I fainted. I don’t remember anything. When I came to, I was inside the ambulance. I said, “Commander, let me go — I want to see my children.” I could hear voices outside. I couldn’t see the women. Through the back doors of the ambulance, I saw the men and the gendarmerie. I said, “Let me out.” The commander didn’t let me.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : She said, “If you had told the truth, this wouldn’t have happened,” right? The others said something like that?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know. I don’t know who was arguing.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : But you never talked to your sister about it afterward?​

Yüksel Güran : I really don’t know. Even the judge asked me. He said, “Your sister Maşallah knew about the fight.” I said, “I swear I don’t know.” I was in detention for five days. I heard Melike and Maşallah mentioning my sister’s name, but I don’t know what happened in the argument.​

Law. Abdullah Yılmaz : So you never talked about that fight afterward?​

Yüksel Güran : No. I didn’t ask, and they didn’t ask me.​

Presiding Judge : Ms. Yüksel, you said you saw the money.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Presiding Judge : Did you tell your husband or children — Enes said he didn’t know about it. Did you tell anyone that Nevzat gave her money?​

Yüksel Güran : No, I didn’t. I didn’t know myself. It seemed normal.​

Presiding Judge : So you weren’t suspicious?​

Yüksel Güran : It seemed normal — maybe he gave it to Narin too, just casually.​

Presiding Judge : Had he ever done that before?​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t know.​

Presiding Judge : You don’t know.​

Yüksel Güran : She told me about it that day.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. Any questions from the defense? Please, go ahead. We’ll take you next.​

Defense Counsel for Salim Güran ​

Law. Onur Akdağ ​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Ms. Yüksel, had Narin ever been in Salim’s car before?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, on July 14.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : For what reason?​

Yüksel Güran : It was for Berat’s engagement. Arif wasn’t home, and we didn’t have a car or seats available. Narin and Eren rode in that car. Salim had a car then, and Devran was driving. Hediye and the children also went in that car. Muhammed and I went in Memduh Güran’s car. We went and returned like that.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : So Narin was in Salim’s car, correct?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, she rode in that car.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Before the incident, did you ever ride with Narin in your own car?​

Yüksel Güran : In our car?​

Law. Onur Akdağ : In Arif’s car?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Did Arif take you anywhere a day or two before the incident? Did Narin ride in that car?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, the day before we went to Diyarbakır as guests for dinner. Wherever we went, we took our car.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Did Nevzat ever come to your house? I mean, had he ever entered your home before the incident day? I don’t mean that day specifically — I mean in general. Did he ever visit as a guest?​

Yüksel Güran : I never saw Nevzat at our house. A few months before, he had the wells dug, so he was always around the area. When the well work ended, he’d still come around — we’d sit on the hill. But before that, I hadn’t seen him.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : So Nevzat never came into your home?​

Yüksel Güran : No, never. I don’t remember that.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Did Gazal Bahtiyar ever come over as a guest?​

Yüksel Güran : Gazal did come. God curse her — they didn’t have water, so she came every day to fetch water from us. She came to us — that was our kindness, Counselor. We were helping her because she had no water. But that kindness, Nevzat turned against us.​

Presiding Judge : But look, Ms. Yüksel — there’s no serious hostility here. I’ve reviewed hundreds, maybe thousands of murder cases. When there’s hostility, it’s usually clear. You’re saying there was none — in fact, you say you were kind, gave them water. So if there was no hostility, and you were on good terms — could it be that Nevzat was doing something wrong? We asked before whether you or Enes had any sexual relations with him. Forgive me for asking — it’s been reported in the news and caused controversy — but could it be that Nevzat was involved sexually with one of the three of you, and Narin saw it, and that’s why he killed her?​

Yüksel Güran : I’ll just say this — as my lawyers said too — Nevzat’s wife, even the commander told me, “Nevzat came to your house,” meaning Gazal. I said, “No, she doesn’t come to us.” He said, “She came to you first.” I said, “Yes, that’s true. Gazal came to us.” Maybe a month before, I don’t know exactly. I saw Gazal at the door — she was going toward Belkıs’s place. They were cousins. It was around the Karakoç incident. I said, “Gazal, come inside.” She came to us.​

Presiding Judge : Could we quiet down the background noise a bit?​

Yüksel Güran : Gazal came to us. I went to Belkıs’s house — I was coming from Yeni Salihagil. I asked how things were. We talked for a bit. Then I went back to Gazal. I said, “Gazal, Hatiye Zeyno doesn’t talk to us anymore. I greet her — she doesn’t reply. Why?” Gazal laughed and said, “Don’t mind her.” I said, “I really don’t know.” I thought it was because of the car. Hatiye Zeyno wasn’t speaking to us because of that car issue. Gazal said, “Forget her.” I said, “Honestly, Gazal, I didn’t know anything about this.” One day Arif said he was going to the headman’s house. I told Gazal. I said, “No, Nevzat bought a car — it turned out stolen. We’re going there to talk about it.” Arif came back and said, “We’re having a meeting. Neither of us nor anyone else will handle it. Cevat Kaya will come. Rukedin Kaya brought him. We’ll do what they suggest.” Then Gazal said, “Yüksel, neither Cevat Kaya nor Rukedin Kaya — they all took Salim’s side. They put the blame for the money on Nevzat.” I said, “I don’t know about any of that.” She said, “Ferhat refused to pay that money. He said, ‘Even if I kill myself or someone else, I won’t pay it.’” İbrahim, his son, said, “That’s shameful. If Salim doesn’t pay and Arif doesn’t pay, where will it come from? It’s not a small amount.” Then I saw Arif and Nevzat talking up on the hill. I went over and said, “Welcome, Nevzat.” They were talking about the money. Arif said, “I’ll give it to the lawyer. Once the lawyer settles it, we’ll pay you back.” Nevzat said, “Fine.” I said, “That’s good. We’ve been neighbors for years — it’s not a huge amount. Just settle it.” Our children were all friends. Then I said, “Congrats on your new house.” He talked with my husband and left. I never thought about that car again. I never told my husband, my kids, or anyone about what Ferhat said. They made up things, but we had nothing to do with it. If we had, we would’ve said so. None of this ever crossed our minds.​

Presiding Judge : Alright. On the day of the incident, did you hear any rumors that Nevzat had sexual relations with someone? Any gossip in the village?​

Yüksel Güran : From whom?​

Presiding Judge : Well, since there were claims about you and Salim — perhaps Nevzat had an affair with someone else, and Narin saw it, and he killed her because of that?​

Yüksel Güran : Who said that? May God curse them. I swear it’s a lie.​

Presiding Judge : Did you ever hear that Nevzat had a sexual relationship with someone?​

Yüksel Güran : No. I never heard that.​

Presiding Judge : I’m just asking. Don’t curse me. Hey, why are you cursing me?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know anything about that.​

Presiding Judge : So, there’s nothing like that? You never heard such a thing?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : You started cursing right away.​

Yüksel Güran : I’m so angry right now, that’s why. Alright, alright — let me say it piece by piece. Look, I’m saying it here too: he has no fear of God. I leave his children to God as well.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, look — you said, “I’ll tear him apart piece by piece,” didn’t you? Nevzat also said, “If I had done it, they would have torn me apart.” That’s what reminded me of it. Okay, fine. I’m not saying you meant that. Arif would tear him apart too. Maybe Enes, maybe even Eren — I’ve said it before. But with such a risk of being torn apart, Nevzat supposedly took the body, hid it, and stayed in the village for 19, 20, maybe 21 days — the number doesn’t matter — right there in front of everyone. Is that correct?​

Yüksel Güran : We didn’t know.​

Presiding Judge : But surely you would have heard at some point. When Nevzat learned about it — the whole country was searching — if he was the man who killed her, the man who planned it, wouldn’t he have thought, “If this comes out, this family will kill me,” and fled with his whole family?​

Yüksel Güran : If he had that sense, he wouldn’t have done it.​

Presiding Judge : Wouldn’t have done what?​

Yüksel Güran : His part in the crime — he wouldn’t have done it.​

Presiding Judge : But he’s not saying “I did it.” He says, “They killed her and gave her to me. I took the body, buried it, and lay down there.” He’s not saying he killed her.​

Yüksel Güran : That’s what we’re saying. We wouldn’t do what he did.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, but listen — Nevzat isn’t saying “I did it.” He says, “They gave me the body. I took it, buried it.” He says that’s why he didn’t flee — because he didn’t do it. How did you know he was lying?​

Yüksel Güran : Everyone knows he’s lying.​

Presiding Judge : Why? How does everyone know he’s lying?​

Yüksel Güran : Because he never came to our house. I’m saying it right here — if it had been somewhere else…​

Presiding Judge : He didn’t come to your house?​

Yüksel Güran : I swear, he didn’t. Neither of them did.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : The vehicle Salim was using recently — whose car was it?​

Yüksel Güran : He had one. After his accident, for a few days I saw Metin Kaya’s car parked at his door. I even said, “Maybe he bought a new car.” The children said, “No, it’s Metin Kaya’s car, his brother-in-law’s.” Later, when Metin Kaya’s car disappeared, he started using his brother’s car.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : What’s his brother’s name?​

Yüksel Güran : Fuat.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Fuat. Did you see that car around Salim’s house that day — in front of his door, nearby, or anywhere else?​

Yüksel Güran : No, absolutely not that day.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : So you didn’t see it parked or moving near his house?​

Yüksel Güran : No, I swear that day I only saw it once, near Hüseyin Güran’s door. I didn’t see him or his children at all. I went by their door until evening and saw only the children.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Which of Salim’s children did Narin play with the most?​

Yüksel Güran : She played with İlayda and Yusuf. Mostly with İlayda. My children didn’t play much with others. She’d go to Fatma Hatice’s house. I often sent the little ones there. Or she went to Hediye Güran’s house.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Did children ever play in front of Salim’s house?​

Yüksel Güran : If they were there, they might have, but Narin didn’t play with them much. Whenever I went somewhere, she’d either go to Hediye’s house or to Hüseyin Güran’s. She played with their children.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Now you’re saying whoever is guilty should be revealed.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, that’s what I want. I want the killer.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Nevzat is slandering you?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : He says he saw you crying. Couldn’t he have made the same false claim about Salim?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : So, the man who said he saw you crying — couldn’t he also say Salim did it?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know. I leave it to God.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : But you say he slandered you.​

Yüksel Güran : Of course.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : Yet he’s telling the same story.​

Yüksel Güran : He’s confessing falsely about me.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : He names both Salim and you.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, he accuses both of us — but it’s not true. I swear it’s not true.​

Law. Onur Akdağ : So he’s lying about you?​

Yüksel Güran : He’s falsely confessing about me.​

Presiding Judge : Any other questions, Counselor?​

Law. Onur Akdağ : No, Your Honor. Thank you.​

Presiding Judge : Ms. Yüksel, you may sit down. Thank you.​

Yüksel Güran : But I want the killer found.​

Presiding Judge : We all do.​

Yüksel Güran : I want Narin’s killer. Bring me Narin’s killer.​

Presiding Judge : One moment, please. We have another question. Let me ask again. We know you were at home. We also know Narin was last seen on the school’s camera at 15:11. There’s a 4-minute margin of error, but around 15:11. The distance between the school and your house is roughly 5 minutes. Could Narin have seen something she shouldn’t have? Like I said before—perhaps she saw Nevzat with someone else. I’m just wondering. Look, you said you talked with Gazal about the car, that you’d seen another car parked near their door. In a village, this kind of thing is always noticed. There’s plenty of free time—people pay attention to who visits whom. We grew up in villages too. Right?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Presiding Judge : When a car with a foreign plate enters the village, everyone immediately asks who it is and why they came. Right? Is that true?​

Yüksel Güran : If I saw it, I would have told you.​

Presiding Judge : So, people gossip among themselves. Did you hear any gossip in the village during that 4- or 5-minute period?​

Yüksel Güran : No.​

Presiding Judge : You didn’t. So could Narin have seen something before she was killed—something involving Nevzat or Salim?​

Yüksel Güran : I didn’t see anything. If I had, I swear I would’ve shouted it from the start.​

Presiding Judge : You’re saying you didn’t see, but I’m asking if you heard any gossip.​

Yüksel Güran : No gossip, nothing seen or heard.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, thank you. Please take your seat. Wait, one more question.​

Presiding Judge : The sound isn’t clear—please speak up. Counselor, can you hear me?​

Law. Mustafa Demir : There were many questions about the headscarf. When you asked the imam about it, was it to confirm whether Narin came home that day? To verify if she made it back home? Or was it for another reason? The authorities also mentioned this.​

Presiding Judge : Let’s ask then—why did you ask the imam about the headscarf?​

Yüksel Güran : The imam said she had a purple skirt and a purple headscarf. When he said that, I said, “Let me check, teacher, this scarf is mine. I saw it here that night when the women were sitting.” I asked, “Could this be it or not?” He said, “Honestly, I’m not sure—it might not be.” That’s why I asked.​

Presiding Judge : Where’s the purple skirt?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t know.​

Presiding Judge : Did she wear the purple skirt that day?​

Yüksel Güran : That’s what the imam said.​

Presiding Judge : Did she leave the house wearing it?​

Yüksel Güran : We searched, but didn’t see the purple skirt.​

Presiding Judge : Because it wasn’t on the body, right?​

Defense Counsel for Enes Güran ​

Law. Mustafa Demir ​

Law. Mustafa Demir : It was, it was—on the body.​

Presiding Judge : Was there a purple skirt on the body? Alright, I must have missed that.​

Law. Mustafa Demir : I’m asking because—did you think someone brought it there, or that Narin came home, left it, and went somewhere else?​

Yüksel Güran : No. Because I had washed that balcony. Later the women came and spread things out—brought cushions and pillows. They sat me down among the railings while I was crying. That’s when I noticed it. The next morning the imam came and said the skirt was purple, the scarf was purple. I immediately brought the scarf and said, “Teacher, is this the one?” He said, “Honestly, I’m not entirely sure.” He said, “You brought it.” That same night I had seen that purple scarf among the railings. He said, “I’m not sure.”​

Law. Mustafa Demir : You don’t know who placed it there or brought it?​

Yüksel Güran : No, I don’t know.​

Law. Mustafa Demir : What would you have concluded if the imam had said, “Yes, that’s the same purple scarf”?​

Yüksel Güran : I would have understood that someone had brought it there that night, and I would have immediately handed it to the gendarmerie.​

Law. Mustafa Demir : You would have said someone left it there at night?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I would have said, “Someone brought this purple scarf here at night. It’s mine.” But I had already washed the balcony—there was nothing there before. When the women came later, I saw it. I would have given it to the gendarmerie right away.​

Presiding Judge : Alright, thank you. Go ahead.​

Defense Counsel for Yüksel Güran ​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu ​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : Your Honor, the indictment claims that some phone call or message records were deleted. Did you ever delete any calls or messages?​

Yüksel Güran : Absolutely not.​

Presiding Judge : No? Absolutely no?​

Yüksel Güran : I don’t even know how to delete. I don’t normally use WhatsApp much.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : The indictment also says your phone was turned off during the critical hours, around 15:30. Did that happen?​

Yüksel Güran : No, nobody turned it off. The children had it in their hands.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : You were asleep at the time, I see. Now, Maide Kaya, Maşallah, and Birsen gave times—Maide’s was a little later.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, 07:30—twenty minutes to seven, that’s what they told us.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : Twenty to seven, right. The indictment claims the Güran family influenced these witnesses.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, that’s what they said to us.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : That’s the allegation. After the gendarmerie interviewed these witnesses, you gave an interview on Didem Aslan Yılmaz’s TV program Vazgeçme.​

Yüksel Güran : Yes.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : In that interview, you said loudly, “Narin didn’t go there; she either went up the hill or went around from there.” Can you explain why you said that? Let me remind you: you also said, “My daughter would never get into a stranger’s car.”​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I said that.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : And you said, “If someone familiar called my daughter, then she’d go.” Correct?​

Yüksel Güran : Yes, I said that too.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : When you heard Maşallah’s and Birsen’s statements about those times, what did you think? Did Narin appear around that time?​

Yüksel Güran : They told us Maşallah said 5, Mahide said twenty to 7, İsa said 6, Şeyma said 4:30. We said, “Then where is Narin?” The gendarmerie blamed us completely. They said Narin disappeared at 7, Narin came home at 7, you and Enes were home. They put all the blame on us. These children weren’t lying. Then a gendarmerie team came every day with their equipment, checking around the barn. Every day. They said the incident happened at 3. They accused us of forcing witnesses to lie, of influencing them. Then when Nevzat appeared, they said Narin left the house—again putting the blame on us. “She left the house, where did she go?” they said, “It was you.” First they said 7, then changed it to 3. They said, “You forced these witnesses.” Later, when Nevzat said he took her from inside the house, again they blamed us—“You were there, Enes was there, or maybe Salim.” They threw everything back on us. Wherever it happened, they pinned it on our necks. Yes.​

Law. Yılmaz Demiroğlu : Alright, thank you.​

Presiding Judge : Thank you.​