The young man who was arrested for the murder* of 16-year-old Zehie Helin Reessur in Long Beach, Iskele on January 25, 2023, admitted he had been harassing her before the murder, Kibris Postasi reports
Sefer Buğra Altundağ (21) confessed that he killed Helin because he was scared his father would find out after Helin threatened to report him to the police.
During a court hearing yesterday, police officer Erdim Kara shared the details of the case.
Kara mentioned that Altundağ gave his statement willingly, saying, “I want to tell you everything”.
He then read Altundağ’s statement in court after presenting it as evidence.
Altundağ’s statement was as follows:
“I picked up Helin from the Suriçi area where she was staying and took her to my friend Bahadır’s house. We became close, and later, when I was driving her home, she started yelling that I had harassed her and that she would call the police. She kept shouting until we reached the Salamis Hotel, where she fell asleep. I went to the quiet Grand Sapphire Hotel construction site to talk to her. When she woke up, she started yelling and hitting me again. I was afraid my father would find out, so I hit her on the head twice with a hard object. After that, I hit her again with another hard object. Then I was caught. I did this because I was scared of my father finding out”.
The case was postponed and will continue on August 20.
*North Cyprus has experienced a troubling pattern of femicide and violence against women. Reports and studies on femicide and domestic violence in North Cyprus often come from local NGOs and media outlets, while they indicate a concerning situation, don’t always provide detailed annual figures.
The issue of femicide in North Cyprus is part of a broader concern across many regions where violence against women persists despite efforts to address it. Activists and organisations in North Cyprus have been working to raise awareness and push for better legal protections and support systems for victims of domestic violence. [Ed.]