18.06.2026 16:21
In Çekmeköy, a verdict was reached in the trial of Furkan Samet Bakalım, who killed teacher Fatma Nur Çelik and injured six others. The court panel sentenced the defendant to aggravated life imprisonment for "willful killing of a woman with monstrous intent." As the defendant was 17 years old at the time of the incident, the sentence was commuted to 24 years in prison. The court also sentenced the defendant to a total of 13 years and 6 months in prison for various crimes committed against other victims.
A verdict has been reached in the trial of high school student Furkan Samet Bakalım, who stabbed teacher Fatma Nur Çelik to death and wounded two other teachers in Istanbul's Çekmeköy district.
Furkan Samet Bakalım (17), a student at Borsa Istanbul Vocational Technical Anatolian High School, stabbed teachers Fatma Nur Çelik (44) and Zeynep Aybars (52) along with six students. While the injured were taken to the hospital, teacher Çelik could not be saved despite all interventions. The attacker, Furkan Samet Balım, was arrested at the scene and later remanded in custody by the Duty Court of Peace and sent to prison.
UP TO 126 YEARS IN PRISON DEMANDED
In the indictment prepared after the completed investigation, it was requested that defendant Furkan Samet Bakalım be sentenced to up to 126 years in prison for his action against Çelik on charges of 'premeditated murder with monstrous intent against a woman due to her public duty' and for his actions against the six injured individuals on charges of 'attempted murder with monstrous intent against a child' and 'attempted murder with monstrous intent against a person due to their public duty'.
FOURTH TIME BEFORE THE JUDGE
Defendant Furkan Samet Bakalım appeared at the hearing via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBIS) in the Anatolian 2nd Juvenile Heavy Penal Court. Lawyers for both parties and a lawyer from the Ministry of Family and Social Services were present at the hearing. A lawyer from the Ministry of National Education attended the hearing as an observer. The Provincial Director of National Education, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Mücahit Yentür, and teachers were also present as observers. The public prosecutor, presenting his opinion on the merits, stated that the defendant stabbed and killed teacher Fatma Nur Çelik on the day of the incident, then carried out attacks against various students and teachers within the school, and demanded that Furkan Samet Bakalım be punished and his detention continue.
NO REDUCTION APPLIED
Announcing its decision, the court panel sentenced defendant Furkan Samet Bakalım to aggravated life imprisonment for the charge of 'premeditated murder with monstrous intent against a woman' for his action against Fatma Nur Çelik. Due to the defendant being 17 years old at the time of the incident, the aggravated life sentence was commuted to 24 years in prison. The panel did not apply any reduction to the sentence given to the defendant. The court also sentenced defendant Furkan Samet Bakalım to a total of 13 years and 6 months in prison for various crimes committed against other victims. It was also decided that the defendant's detention would continue.
The court panel acquitted the defendant of the charge of 'attempted qualified premeditated murder' against M.A., citing that the crime attributed to him could not be proven with clear and convincing evidence beyond any reasonable doubt.
DETENTION TO CONTINUE
The court decided that the defendant's detention would continue along with the verdict. The panel ordered the confiscation of the knife used in the incident and decided that certain digital materials should be kept as evidence in the case file.