In a recent interview with Yeniduzen, Helin’s mother, Zişan Saltukhan, revealed: “It was during the court proceedings that I discovered my daughter had been harassed. He confessed that he killed her to keep her silent, as Helin was planning to report him. Initially, it wasn’t a premeditated murder, but his intention was to stop her from speaking out. My daughter fought back, but if she had received medical attention, she might have survived. He denied her that chance. I want the harshest punishment – aggravated life imprisonment. Even the severest sentence won’t ease my pain or bring my daughter back, but at least she will rest peacefully”.
On 25 January 2023, in the Long Beach area of Iskele, 21-year-old Sefer Buğra Altundağ took Zahie Helin Ressur to a construction site and fatally struck her on the head with a hard object. After the crime, he fled to the south of the island but was apprehended the same day and returned to the north in police custody. The case sparked widespread outrage across North Cyprus, with numerous protests organised by political groups and organisations.