26.07.2026 13:17
The trial of Hanife Taşdemir Stief (60), who is accused of keeping her grandson, kidnapped by her son in Bursa, in a ruined house for 7 years and faces up to 12 years in prison for 'Human trafficking' and 'Deprivation of liberty', has begun. The grandmother, who is being tried under arrest, stated that she called her grandson 'Ahmet' so he would not be recognized.
Umut K. (33), born to a Turkish mother and German father, started living with Rebecca S. (30), whom he met in Germany where he grew up. The couple had a son in 2018, whom they named 'Nazar'. A year later, Umut K. came to Mustafakemalpaşa district of Bursa with his German girlfriend to visit his mother Hanife Taşdemir Stief, who had left his father and remarried. Umut K., who could not return to Germany due to an arrest warrant for 'drug trafficking', did not allow his girlfriend to take their son and leave. Umut K. told Rebecca S., who did not want to stay in Turkey, that their 1-year-old son Nazar S. was missing and kidnapped him. After Rebecca S. went to the police and filed a complaint, she returned to her country, and an investigation was launched into the incident.
FOUND 7 YEARS LATER BY A 6-PERSON SPECIAL TEAM Umut K. died of a heart attack 2 years ago, and the Mustafakemalpaşa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation to find the missing child. Within the scope of the investigation led by Chief Prosecutor Yusuf Canik, upon the instruction of Bursa Provincial Police Chief Kadir Gökce, a 6-person special team formed from the Robbery Bureau, Homicide Bureau, and Missing Persons Bureau under the Public Order Branch Directorate found Nazar, who had been untraceable for 7 years, in a dilapidated house where he was being held by his grandmother, after 30 days of technical and physical surveillance and examining 300 hours of camera footage. The child was rescued in an operation on March 10; grandmother Hanife Taşdemir Stief and the house owner Recai M., the cousin of Umut K., were taken into custody and arrested. Recai M. was released pending trial after an objection.
LIVING WITH HIS MOTHER AND SISTER Nazar S., taken under protection by the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, was handed over to Rebecca S., confirmed as his mother through a DNA test. Nazar continues his life in Germany with his mother and sister Emilia Zafira.
The trial has begun for the arrested defendant grandmother Hanife Taşdemir Stief and the non-custodial defendants Mustafa T., Ayşe T., Hanife T., Recai M., and Gülşen A., who are her siblings and relatives, on charges of 'human trafficking against persons under 18 years of age', with demands for up to 12 years in prison each. Hanife Taşdemir Stief attended the hearing at the Mustafakemalpaşa 1st Heavy Penal Court via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBIS) from the prison where she is held, while Mustafa T., Ayşe T., Hanife T., and Gülşen A., along with their lawyers, were present at the hearing that Recai M. did not attend.
"I DID NOT SEE MY GRANDSON UNTIL THE DAY MY SON DIED" The arrested defendant, beginning her defense by stating that Nazar S. is her grandson, claimed she did not see her grandson for 5 years until the day her son died, and said:
"My deceased son came to Mustafakemalpaşa from Germany one day with my daughter-in-law Rebecca and Nazar. Rebecca said that arrest warrants had been issued in Germany due to 'drug trafficking' and that the German Social Services could take Nazar, so they wanted to come. Drugs were found in Rebecca's blood during her pregnancy. They stayed here for a month. They got along well until the last few days. Two days before the end, Rebecca received a call. She then said she would take the child and leave. I gave money to Umut and told them to go eat together and talk it out. When Rebecca and Umut went for dinner, Nazar was sleeping next to me. Umut called me, saying Rebecca's acquaintances might come to take Nazar, and told me to hide the child. At that time, I was at my relative's summer house in Karacabey. I went to a neighbor with Nazar. No one came for a while. I called my brother Mustafa T. My brother and my son arrived separately after a while. Umut was angry. I went with my brother, Umut, and Nazar in my brother's car to Mustafakemalpaşa to talk to Rebecca. On the way, my brother reproached Umut, 'If you weren't going to get along, why did you come to Turkey?' When I scolded my son, he got angry, stopped the car, and got out with Nazar and their belongings. After that day, I never saw my son or Nazar again. Until the day my son died."
"HE SENT ME WORD THROUGH INTERMEDIARIES" Stating that they did not have direct contact during this process, Hanife Taşdemir Stief said, "Occasionally, he would send me word through his aunt and friends, asking for money. I would send money through these intermediaries. The last time, about a month after the February 6 earthquakes, he reached me through a friend. His friend informed me that my son was in the Adana area, wanted to come back to Bursa, and needed money. I sent about 50 thousand lira. Afterwards, I arranged a house in Gemlik through his friends. I let him stay there for 5-6 months. I did not send any help before that. He never contacted me during his time in Bursa. I sent money occasionally to cover their needs."
"I THOUGHT MY SON HAD FAINTED" Stief stated that after a long time, she received news that Umut S. wanted to see her, saying, "One day, while I was at the summer house in Kurşunlu, he reached me through my neighbor in Mustafakemalpaşa. He asked for my address. He came with my grandson 1-2 days later. We sat, caught up, and chatted. He said he had a flu, wanted to shower, and lie down. After showering, he lay down and never got up. I thought Umut had fainted. I screamed, and my neighbors came. Later, medical teams arrived. When they checked, they said Umut had died. Nazar was watching cartoons on the lower floor of the duplex house at that time."
"I MAY HAVE MADE WRONG DECISIONS DUE TO MY SON'S DEATH" Hanife Taşdemir Stief said she took it upon herself to care for her grandson after her son's death, stating, "After my son died, I brought Nazar to Mustafakemalpaşa thanks to 2 people whose names I do not wish to disclose. When my son died, I made it my duty to care for my grandson. That's why I did not call and inform Rebecca. However, Rebecca learned the situation from my ex-husband and relatives in Germany. As a mother and a grandmother, I tried to care for my son's legacy without informing Rebecca. I may have made wrong decisions due to the loss of my son. Because my grandson wanted it and liked to run, I started staying at a place with a 1-acre garden. I provided a battery-powered car, course content from the internet, and opportunities for him to paint."
"I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO TALK TO STRANGERS" Hanife Taşdemir Stief also said she instructed Nazar on how to talk to strangers, adding, "My son Umut used to call Nazar 'Ahmet' because his name was confused with a girl's name."