ISTANBUL - The re-hearing in the case regarding the rape of the 6-year-old daughter of Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel, the founder of the Hiranur Foundation, under the name of "marriage" was postponed after the decision to overturn the appeal.

 

 

The sentence given by Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel, the founder of the Hiranur Foundation affiliated with the İsmailağa Community, for marrying his 6-year-old daughter H.K.G. to his "disciple" Kadir İstekli in a religious ceremony and subjecting her to rape, was overturned by the Court of Appeal. After the sentence was overturned, the first hearing of the case was held at the Istanbul 2nd High Criminal Court. While the defendants Kadir İstekli and Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel were present at the hearing, which started with identification, the mother, Fatima Gümüşel, for whom there was an arrest warrant, did not attend because she had not been caught yet.

 

The court postponed the next hearing to June 10 because the defendant's lawyers excused themselves and did not attend the hearing.

 

WHAT HAPPENED?

 

H.K.G., the daughter of Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel was married to the 29-year-old disciple Kadir İstekli in a religious marriage when she was only 6 years old and was subjected to sexual abuse for years. Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel is the founder of the Hiranur Foundation affiliated with the İsmailağa Community. 

In the case where they were tried regarding the situation in question, the Istanbul Anatolian 2nd High Criminal Court sentenced the detained defendant Kadir İstekli to 30 years in prison, father Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel to 20 years and mother Fatma Gümüşel to 16 years and 8 months in prison on October 23, 2023.

 

After the decision, the file was moved to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal overturned the decision, stating that the punishment given to the defendants should be increased.