04.09.2026 13:21
In the first hearing of the case regarding the school attack in Kahramanmaraş, where 9 students and 1 teacher lost their lives, the parents of the attacker İsa Aras Mersinli appeared before the judge. While the father, Uğur Mersinli, placed the responsibility for the attack on his son and filed a complaint against him, the mother, Pınar Peyman Mersinli, said tearfully, 'I didn't sense that he would do such a thing.'
The first hearing of the case regarding the armed attack that took place on April 15 at Ayser Çalık Secondary School in Kahramanmaraş, which plunged Turkey into mourning, has begun at the Kahramanmaraş 3rd Heavy Penal Court.
In the attack, teacher Ayla Kara and 9 students lost their lives, and 15 students were injured. In the case, the parents of the attacker İsa Aras Mersinli are being tried for their responsibilities regarding their child's access to weapons and the process leading up to the attack.
FATHER FACES 10 AGGRAVATED LIFE SENTENCES
Detained father Uğur Mersinli is facing 10 aggravated life sentences for "intentional homicide by probable intent" and up to 30 years in prison for "intentional injury by probable intent."
Mother Pınar Peyman Mersinli faces up to 22.5 years in prison for "causing the death and injury of more than one person by conscious negligence."
At the first hearing, father Uğur Mersinli made his defense first.
FATHER: HE BOUGHT THE GUNS WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE
Uğur Mersinli claimed that his son obtained the weapons used in the attack without his knowledge and objected to the entire responsibility for the incident being placed on him as a parent.
Mersinli said, "The child's access to weapons in this incident does not constitute parental negligence. He bought them without my knowledge. No intent on my part can be inferred from Aras's behavior. Who knew Aras would carry out a school attack? I did not know about the school attack. It is wrong to place all the risk of the incident on me. The guns were stolen."
Mersinli, who stated that the guns were taken from the bedroom, said they were not found during the search and that he was the one who revealed their location.
"I TOOK HIM TO THE SHOOTING RANGE BECAUSE OF MY LOVE"
One of the most striking parts of the father's defense was his statement about taking his son to a shooting range before.
Uğur Mersinli, arguing that his son had planned the attack beforehand, said, "İsa Aras Mersinli prepared his manifesto in advance, and I took him to the range because of my love; I feel I was deceived."
Mersinli also requested clarification on why public officials, who were noted to have realized beforehand that his son could carry out an attack, did not share this situation with the family.
HE FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS OWN SON
Uğur Mersinli, arguing that the responsibility for the attack belonged to his son, also reacted to the indictment.
Father Mersinli said, "The perpetrator is İsa Aras Mersinli, and no public case has been filed against him. The prosecution has prepared a muddled indictment under public pressure to blame the parents. I am a plaintiff and complainant against my son for the crime of theft."
Following the father's defense, mother Pınar Peyman Mersinli took the floor.
MOTHER COULDN'T HOLD BACK TEARS DURING DEFENSE
Pınar Peyman Mersinli began her defense by expressing her sorrow over the attack. Stating that she is also an educator, mother Mersinli could not hold back her tears during her speech.
Mersinli said, "Maybe because you see me as the mother of a monster, I don't know what to say. I would never have wanted such a sad event to happen. I am also an educator; I would never have wanted such a thing. I am in shock from the event. I didn't want to cry, but I can't help it."
Mersinli, who said she is afraid of guns, claimed that she knew there were guns in the house but did not know how many.
"I DIDN'T FEEL HE WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS"
Mother Mersinli said she noticed changes in her son's behavior but did not think they would lead to such a severe attack.
"I raised teenagers before; I saw differences, but I didn't feel he would do something like this," Mersinli said, explaining that she sought help from her circle to provide psychological support for her son.
Mersinli said, "I always asked my colleagues at school and my neighbor across the street for a psychologist. I just wanted us to take him. They said he needed psychiatric treatment; there was no emergency, but we trusted the specialists. When we couldn't find a psychiatrist, we decided to take him in Kahramanmaraş." Stating that she has suffered great pain after what happened, the mother said, "I am very sorry on behalf of everyone."
SHE EXPLAINED THE BEAUTY CENTER DETAIL
Mother Mersinli was also asked why she took her son to a beauty center. Mersinli said this was due to her son's skin problems.
"My son had many blackheads on his face. He had many blackheads on his back. It bothered him. I tried to clean them at home, but his face became wounded. Upon this, I took my son to a beauty center to clean his face," she said.
STATEMENT FROM THE LAWYER OF THE DECEASED TEACHER
Özcan Kara, the lawyer of teacher Ayla Kara, who lost her life in the attack, made a statement in front of the courthouse before the hearing, saying that the decision to be made in the case would be significant regarding the legal responsibilities of parents in the education and supervision of their children.
Kara said, "Today, the trial of one of the most brutal massacres in the history of the Republic of Turkey is beginning. This trial and the decision to be rendered at its end will be a very important legal document and will guide society regarding parents' responsibilities in the education and supervision of children." The first hearing at the Kahramanmaraş 3rd Heavy Penal Court continues after the defenses of the mother and father.