21.10.2026 11:34
Pilates instructor Selma Y. (33), working as a subtenant in a gym in Göktürk, Istanbul, was beaten by kickboxing instructor Gökhan Şahin (50) when she objected to her rent being raised from 25,000 lira to 40,000 lira; those moments were captured on a mobile phone camera. While Şahin, who was released under judicial control, said "The kick hit the phone, not her body," Selma Y. said she obtained a medical report for assault.
In Göktürk, in Eyüpsultan, Istanbul, a fight broke out at a gym over a rent increase, and kickboxing instructor Gökhan Ş. (50) assaulted sports trainer Selma Y. (33). Kickboxing instructor Gökhan Şahin (50), who was released by the court under judicial control conditions, made a statement and said, 'When I noticed she was filming me, I lost control of my anger, got up and kicked the phone. The kick hit the phone. It did not hit her body, friends; I did not hit her. While they were separating us, she tried to kick, she tore my T-shirt. She picked up a dumbbell from the floor and tried to hit me. I received threatening phone calls and messages.'
The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 1, around 17:45 at a gym located in Eyüpsultan Göktürk Central Neighborhood. According to information obtained, sports trainer Selma Y. started working there by renting from kickboxing instructor Gökhan Ş., the tenant of the gym. Allegedly, because Selma Y.'s rent was increased before six months had passed, a dispute broke out between Selma Y. and Gökhan Ş. for this reason. During the argument, Gökhan Ş. assaulted Selma Y. It was learned that Selma Y., who filed a complaint, had 2 police records for the offense of 'intentional injury'. The moments when the woman was assaulted were captured on a cell phone camera.
RELEASED UNDER JUDICIAL CONTROL CONDITIONS
Gökhan Ş., who was detained by police teams following the complaint after the incident, stated in his statement that he was the tenant of the gym and that he had subleased it to Selma Y. Claiming that because his own rent was increased in September, he also raised Selma Y.'s rent, Gökhan Ş. then stated that a dispute broke out between them, that he assaulted Selma Y., and that he regretted it. Gökhan Ş., against whom judicial proceedings were initiated for the offenses of 'intentional injury', 'threat' and 'insult' regarding the incident, was referred to the courthouse. Gökhan Ş. was released by the court he was brought before under judicial control conditions.
INSTRUCTOR'S DEFENSE: THE KICK HIT THE PHONE
In his statement, Gökhan Şahin said, 'I caused this person no harm at all; on the contrary, I extended a helping hand to her on a bad day and was of help. She had closed her own shop due to a rent increase; we met through a mutual friend. I gave her a place in my own area and tried to help. She accepted the working conditions. As time went on, our conversations were always about videos she had previously recorded of other people, videos about her boyfriends, darknet fraud, recordings and similar matters. I was uncomfortable with this kind of personality and said we wanted to go our separate ways. She did not leave and did not take it seriously at all. Then 2-3 months passed. On the day of the incident, I said our working conditions would change in 2 months, and I said, 'I am giving notice 2 months in advance because costs will increase.' She said these conditions did not suit her and began to raise her voice. She became furious and started shouting and making threats. I moved away from her and went outside. She followed me and insulted me and my workplace; she harassed and provoked me. When I noticed she was filming me, I lost control of my anger, got up and kicked the phone. The kick hit the phone. It did not hit her body, friends; I did not hit her. It fell from her hand, and she walked toward me. I held her hands and stopped her. Two or three seconds later, shopkeeper friends from outside had already arrived,' he said.
Gökhan Şahin said, 'While they were separating us, she tried to kick and tore my T-shirt. She picked up a dumbbell from the floor and tried to hit me. Anyway, we were separated. After that, when someone said, 'The police are coming,' I realized that she had staged this and understood that she had done everything she could to make it happen. We filed complaints against each other. The matter has already gone to the judiciary. While the process continued, 2 weeks after the incident, this person began attacking me on social media with injuries on her body. By the way, the injuries have nothing to do with me. She tried to target me and cause me reputational loss. Nothing was as it seemed. As a result of the lies, I suffered job loss. I was condemned on social media. Friends, do not condemn without knowing before the beginning and end of a matter are clear. Someone who picks up a phone may be trying to set a trap; such things happen a lot. I understood that this side of the matter also exists. Remember: you are tested by what you condemn. Afterwards, I received threatening phone calls and messages. What can I say? May God let me meet good people,' he said.
I RAISED YOUR RENT TO 40 THOUSAND LIRA; IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, LEAVE
Selma Y., who was assaulted, said in her statement, 'I rented this workplace from the workplace tenant, kickboxing instructor Gökhan Ş. On Tuesday, September 1, Gökhan Ş. said to me, 'I have made your rent 40 thousand lira.' I said to him, 'Instructor, why are you making my rent 40 thousand lira? It has been 6 months since I rented, and the year of the rent has not yet come. Did you make any renovation? Your own rent was not increased either. What is the reason for increasing it? Explain it to me, and I will act accordingly.' Then Gökhan Ş. said, 'I felt like it; if you don't like it, leave.' I said, 'Sorry, I cannot go anywhere. Rent increases are not something to be announced at the last minute like this. I have students whose lessons are ongoing; I cannot go anywhere. I cannot pay this rent either. Until I find a new place for myself, I will continue paying the same rent for a few months, and then I will leave,'' she stated.
In the continuation of Selma Y.'s statement, she said, 'Gökhan Ş. said to me, 'There is no such thing; as of this moment you will pay 40 thousand lira, otherwise I will beat you and throw you out of here.' Later, Gökhan called a mutual friend of ours named Mesut and said, 'You got me into this; take her away from here, or I will kill her, I will beat her.' Meanwhile, I said to Gökhan, 'I will report you to the police.' I started recording with my phone. Gökhan cursed at the police and at me, kicked me, slapped me, punched me, and dragged me on the ground. In this incident, I sustained injuries to my face, right eye, right elbow and right wrist. Meanwhile, citizens who heard the sounds came to me and rescued me from Gökhan,' she said.
Selma Y., who said she was assaulted by the kickboxing instructor, said, 'I am a Pilates instructor and a Sports Academy graduate. I was looking for a Pilates studio for myself. I rented the shop of the person who assaulted me from the person who took it over 5-6 months ago. The incident takes place on September 1. He told me out of nowhere that he was raising the rent from 25 thousand lira to 40 thousand lira. When I asked him whether he had made any renovation to the shop, whether the year was up, whether his own rent had been increased, and why he was doing this, he started cursing at me, saying, 'That is none of your business.' He is a person who constantly curses and insults. I did not engage with him much; I taught my lesson and left. Later, he started getting angry. I said, 'I will not pay this; until I look for a new place, I will continue paying the rent at 25 thousand lira. When I find a new place, I will leave.' He did not accept this. He said, 'No, you will pay 40 thousand lira, I will kill you. Get out of here.' There is no camera system in the shop. Therefore, to protect myself, I recorded his threats and insults on camera. I did not think he could use violence against me. You are an instructor. No matter how angry you get, in the end no hand should be raised against a woman or a person. It really did not occur to me that he could use violence against me,' she said.
In continuation of Selma Y.'s statement, she said, "Later, he called some people on the phone. He was saying, 'She is swearing about me, I will send this from here, I will beat her, I will kill her, she will be left in my hands.' I also started recording. When I recorded a video saying, 'You don't even have a document here. That person doesn't have a pilates business license. He has pilates lessons taught there. You have shortcomings and you are raising the price out of nowhere,' he started swearing at me again. When I said, 'I am calling the police,' he swore at the police. Later, inside, he walked toward me, right at me; because he knows there is no camera there. First he hit me once, then when I said, 'I am recording you on camera,' he kicked toward my phone. The kick landed on my chest, and he was also trying to make my phone fall to the ground in that situation," she stated.
SHE RECEIVED A BATTERY REPORT AND A WORK INCAPACITY REPORT
Selma Y., who said her neighbors came to her aid, said, "The next-door neighbors came running to my screams. It took 4-5 people to separate this man. After that I called the police; I was very scared. I was at a loss as to what to do. The police came, took his statement, and he was released. It has been 15 days since the incident and he has not been taken into custody in any way. I have pain in my left kneecap, right hip, right elbow, and right wrist. The pain in my right breast still has not gone away, by the way. I received a work incapacity report. I already have a battery report. They should not train instructors who lack anger control like this. They should not give them certificates. They need to be supervised. I was subjected to violence by a kickboxing instructor. We do not want an instructor who cannot control his anger. This person who beat me is still walking around freely; we run into each other from time to time, he makes eye contact with me, he looks at me maliciously. I am very uncomfortable with this. After all, this man has no anger control; there is no telling what he might do. I do not want such people to walk around freely. Eye contact is also a threat, after all. I want what is necessary to be done," she said.
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