29.10.2026 17:26
In İzmir’s Çiğli district in 2023, Ferhat Bingöl, who opened fire with a shotgun on his ex-wife Aysel Aydemir, whom he had divorced, and when the shotgun jammed, shot her in the legs with a handgun, had his 15-year prison sentence reduced to 5 years, 10 months and 3 days in a retrial following the Court of Cassation’s reversal decision. Aydemir, unable to hold back her tears after the verdict, said, 'It was like a reward of a sentence. I know he won’t stop when he gets out. I want to live.'
In Izmir's Çiğli district, Ferhat Bingöl (43), who tried to shoot his ex-wife Aysel Aydemir (39) with a pump-action shotgun but, when the shotgun jammed, shot her in the legs with a handgun he drew from his waist and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, was this time sentenced to 5 years, 10 months and 3 days in prison in the retrial after the ruling was overturned. Aydemir, unable to hold back her tears after the hearing, said, 'It was like a reward. I know he will not stop when he gets out. I will experience the same events again. I am very tired. I want to live.'
In Çiğli district, mother of two Aysel Aydemir left home at around 06:30 on June 19, 2023, to go to work. At that time, Ferhat Bingöl, whom she had divorced 5 years earlier and against whom she had obtained a protection order, came up to Aydemir with a pump-action shotgun and, after saying 'So you report me,' opened fire. Ferhat Bingöl, who then aimed at Aydemir's head, had his shotgun jam. Thereupon Ferhat Bingöl took his unlicensed handgun from his waist, shot Aydemir in the legs, and fled. Injured Aysel Aydemir was taken to hospital by ambulance. Ferhat Bingöl was taken into custody and arrested, while Aysel Aydemir was discharged after treatment.
In light of statements and collected evidence, the prosecutor sought a total prison sentence of up to 12.5 years for Ferhat Bingöl on charges of 'intentional injury to a divorced spouse,' 'threatening with a weapon,' and 'violation of Law No. 6136 on Firearms, Knives and Other Tools.' The indictment was accepted by the Karşıyaka 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. However, upon the lawyers' objections, the file was sent to the Karşıyaka 3rd High Criminal Court. At the final hearing held in 2024, the court panel sentenced Bingöl to 15 years in prison for 'attempted intentional killing of a spouse' and also to 2 years in prison and a fine of 1,200 TL for 'violation of Law No. 6136 on Firearms, Knives and Other Tools.' No reduction was made in Bingöl's sentence.
SUPREME COURT: HE DID NOT FIRE WHEN HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
Upon objections, the file went to appeal. The Criminal Chamber reviewing the file did not find the parties' grounds for objection valid and rejected them. Thereupon the file was taken to the Supreme Court. The 1st Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court stated that the defendant injured Aysel Aydemir in the right leg and left knee area and ended his act 'on his own' and fled. It was stated that, although there was no serious obstacle and the defendant had a handgun suitable for killing, and although he had the opportunity to fire at close and effective range while Aysel Aydemir was on the ground, targeting her vital areas, he fired at the leg area.
For these reasons, it was decided that imposing a sentence for the offense of 'qualified attempted intentional killing' due to an error in the legal qualification of the offense was unlawful. The Criminal Chamber, deciding that the defendant should be sentenced for the offense of 'injury aggravated by its consequence,' overturned the ruling and sent the file back to the local court.
After the overturning decision, defendant Bingöl appeared again before a judge today at the Karşıyaka 3rd High Criminal Court. In addition to Bingöl, Aysel Aydemir, the parties' lawyers, and members of the We Will Stop Femicide Platform attended the hearing. Meanwhile, it was learned that Lawyer Özge Penbegül (26), who was killed with a handgun in recent days by police officer Aykut Erol, to whom she was engaged, would have attended this case representing the Contemporary Lawyers Group if she had not been murdered.
IF THE SHOTGUN HAD NOT JAMMED, I WOULD HAVE DIED
At the hearing, defendant Bingöl was first given the floor regarding the overturning decision. The defendant made no statement against the overturning decision. Aysel Aydemir, requesting that the defendant be punished, said, 'If the pump-action shotgun had not jammed, I would not be before you. He had come to kill me.' Aydemir's lawyers, however, requested that the local court stand by its ruling and not comply with the Supreme Court's decision.
15-YEAR SENTENCE REDUCED TO 5 YEARS 10 MONTHS
At the hearing, the prosecutor, in his opinion on the merits, requested that the Supreme Court's decision be complied with and that the defendant be punished with a sentence close to the upper limit for the offense of 'intentional injury.' After the opinion on the merits, the defendant, again given the floor, stated that he regretted it and requested acquittal. The hearing was adjourned for the ruling, and after the recess, spectators and journalists were not allowed into the courtroom. The panel sentenced the defendant to 5 years, 10 months and 3 days in prison for 'intentional injury.'
IT WAS LIKE A REWARD
After the hearing, Aydemir could not hold back her tears. Aysel Aydemir, stating that she would continue her legal struggle, said, 'I was expecting the defendant to receive the punishment he deserved, but today my trust in justice was shaken. It was like a reward. I cannot find words to say. Today a decision was made about my life. I know he will not stop when he gets out. I will experience the same events again. I am very tired. I want to live. That day he had come there to kill me. I want him to receive the punishment he deserves. I am very shocked. I was expecting him to receive a deterrent sentence. I will continue to fight for this.'