04.09.2026 10:41
The first hearing of the trial opened following the armed attack at Ayser Çalık Secondary School in Kahramanmaraş, where 9 students and teacher Ayla Kara lost their lives and 15 students were injured. The attacker İsa Aras Mersinli's parents appeared before the judge, with the prosecution seeking up to 10 life sentences and 30 years in prison for father Uğur Mersinli, and up to 22.5 years in prison for mother Peyman Pınar Mersinli. In his defense, father Mersinli said, 'I am pressing charges against my son.'
The first hearing in the case regarding the school attack that claimed 10 lives began today in Kahramanmaraş. The parents of the attacker, İsa Aras Mersinli, appeared before the judge facing severe penalties requested against them.
MOTHER AND FATHER APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGE
In the armed attack carried out by a student on April 15 at Ayser Çalık Middle School in Kahramanmaraş, teacher Ayla Kara and 9 students lost their lives, and 15 students were injured. The lawsuit filed after the attack that plunged Turkey into mourning began to be heard at the Kahramanmaraş 3rd Heavy Penal Court. The parents of the attacker, İsa Aras Mersinli, also appeared before the judge for the first time today.
Additionally, Özcan Kara, the lawyer of teacher Ayla Kara, who lost her life in the attack and made a statement in front of the courthouse before the hearing, said, "Today, the trial of one of the most brutal massacres in the history of the Republic of Turkey begins. This trial and the decision to be rendered at its end will be a very important legal document regarding parents' education and supervision of children and will guide society."
FATHER FACES 10 LIFE SENTENCES
In the case, detained father Uğur Mersinli faces 10 life sentences for "intentional killing with possible intent" and up to 30 years in prison for "intentional injury with possible intent." Mother Peyman Pınar Mersinli is being tried with a request for up to 22.5 years in prison for "causing the death and injury of more than one person through conscious negligence."
"LOADING THE ENTIRE RISK OF THE INCIDENT ONTO ME IS WRONG"
Uğur Mersinli, who made his defense in court, stated that his son accessed the weapons without his knowledge. Mersinli said, "The child found them himself in this incident. The child's access to the weapons in this incident does not demonstrate parental fault. He took them without my knowledge. My intent cannot be inferred from Aras's behavior. Who knew Aras would carry out a school attack? I did not know about the school attack, and I did not receive training regarding it. Loading the entire risk of the incident onto me is wrong. The weapons were stolen." Father Mersinli, stating that the weapons were taken from the bedroom, said, "Bedrooms are places in homes where doors are locked. The weapons were not found during the search; I reported them. The items in the wardrobe in the bedroom belong to me."
"I TOOK HIM TO THE SHOOTING RANGE OUT OF MY LOVE"
The most striking part of Uğur Mersinli's defense was his statements while describing taking his son to the shooting range. Mersinli said, "I want to learn why public officials who saw and predicted that İsa Aras Mersinli would carry out a school attack did not share this information with the family. Justice means putting something in its proper place. İsa Aras Mersinli prepared his manifesto beforehand, and I took him to the shooting range out of my love; I feel I was deceived."
HE FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS OWN SON
Father Mersinli, arguing that the responsibility for the attack belonged to his son, also objected to the indictment. Mersinli said, "The perpetrator is İsa Aras Mersinli, and no public case has been filed against him. The prosecution has prepared a mixed indictment under public pressure to blame the mother and father. I am a plaintiff and complainant against my son for the crime of theft."