In Turkey, the sordid murder of an 8-year-old girl whose body was found in a bag, 19 days after her disappearance, triggered a wave of emotion in the country. Three members of his family have just received life sentences. The chilling details of the affair that…
The sordid murder of an eight-year-old girl is currently shaking Turkey. The lifeless body of Narin Guran, missing for 19 days, was found at the end of September in a bag at the bottom of a river, about a kilometer from her home. A tragedy which deeply shocked Turkish public opinion, especially since three members of the child's family have just been sentenced to life imprisonment for this heinous crime.
A disappearance that turns into a nightmare
Eight-year-old Narin Guran lived with his family in a village in Diyarbakir province in southeastern Turkey. On August 21, she mysteriously disappeared. Very quickly, concern grew and a vast search operation was launched. On social networks, a campaign entitled “Find Narin” is gaining momentum, relayed by numerous personalities.
But after 19 days of anguish, it was a macabre discovery. The girl's lifeless body is found in a bag at the bottom of a riverabout a kilometer from his home. The autopsy revealed that she had been strangled. Turkey is in shock.
Narin's family at the heart of suspicion
Very quickly, suspicion falls on Narin's close entourage. An investigation was opened and 21 people were taken into custody, including the victim's parents and older brother. Narin's uncle is also arresteddue to “strong suspicions” of “murder” and “deprivation of liberty” weighing on him.
As the investigations progress, tongues loosen. A certain Nevzat Bahtiyar confesses to having committed the murder. But for investigators, he did not act alone. Their suspicions about family involvement are confirmed.
Life sentence for three family members
Saturday, December 28, the verdict falls after a tense day of hearing at the Diyarbakir court. Narin's mother, older brother and uncle receive life in prison for “deliberate collaborative murder”. Nevzat Bahtiyar, who confessed, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The sad news of Narin, who was brutally murdered, has deeply hurt us all.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted on social networks, saying he was “deeply hurt” by this tragedy. He pledged to “personally follow the legal process to ensure that those who took Narin from us receive the harshest punishment, which they deserve.”
An affair that aroused emotion throughout Turkey
The murder of little Narin deeply shocked Turkish society. As soon as her disappearance was announced, an intense mobilization was put in place to find her. Calls to rally to protest against this heinous crime were launched by feminist organizations in several cities across the country.
This tragic news item has once again highlighted the issue of violence against children. According to official figures, nearly 400 minors have been victims of murder in Türkiye over the past ten years, the majority of them girls.
Narin's ordeal, his innocent face plastered all over the country for weeks and the tragic outcome of this affair will leave an indelible mark. His memory has now become the symbol of a fight to be waged against all forms of child abuse. The severe sentences inflicted on part of his family certainly provide a judicial response, but the pain and incomprehension remain immense in the face of this tragedy which is affecting all of Turkey.
