02.05.2026 12:03
The sentence of 19-year-old Mert Açıkça, who snatched the phone of hearing and speech-impaired Ahmet Sanduvaç in Istanbul Gaziosmanpaşa and burned him by pouring gasoline, has been determined. The individual, who caused third-degree burns on the disabled man's body, was sentenced to 18 years in prison without any reduction.
In the Gaziosmanpaşa district of Istanbul, on June 5, 2025, the verdict hearing was held in the trial of Mert Açıkça (19), who stole the phone of Ahmet Sanduvaç (38), a hearing and speech impaired individual, and took him to an abandoned building where he doused him with gasoline and set him on fire. The hearing took place at the Gaziosmanpaşa 6th Heavy Penal Court, with the detained defendant Mert Açıkça, the plaintiff Ahmet Sanduvaç, and the lawyers of both parties present.
UP TO 21 YEARS IN PRISON SOUGHT During the hearing, the public prosecutor presented their opinion on the merits. The prosecution stated that the defendant set the victim on fire, noting that the act was carried out with a tool capable of causing death, in a manner that could result in death, and that he doused and burned different parts of the victim's body, including vital organs. The prosecution demanded that the defendant be sentenced to 14 to 21 years in prison for 'attempted murder with monstrous intent' and that his detention continue.
IN HIS DEFENSE, HE SAID "I DIDN'T DO IT" Making his defense against the opinion, the defendant said, "I absolutely do not agree with the opinion. I have been in prison for months for a crime I did not commit. I request the camera footage. I turned myself in at the police station. If I had done such a thing, why would I go and turn myself in?"
Ahmet Sanduvaç "HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED MOST SEVERELY" In his statement, the plaintiff Ahmet Sanduvaç demanded that the defendant be punished in the harshest manner. The plaintiff's lawyer, Ezgi Tunçer, stated that they agreed with the opinion, did not accept the defendant's claims of "no evidence," and noted that the incident was clear from the Forensic Medicine Institute report, demanding the defendant be punished.
Asked for his final statement, the defendant requested his acquittal and release.
SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS WITHOUT REDUCTION Announcing its decision, the court panel sentenced the defendant Mert Açıkça to life imprisonment for 'attempted murder,' then, on the grounds that the crime remained at the 'attempt' stage, reduced this sentence to 18 years in prison without any discretionary reduction and ordered the continuation of his detention.
FROM THE INDICTMENT In the indictment prepared by the Gaziosmanpaşa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Ahmet Sanduvaç was listed as the 'victim,' Mehmet Nuri Sanduvaç as the 'plaintiff,' and Mert Açıkça as the 'defendant.' The indictment emphasized that the plaintiff complained about the incident, the suspect denied the charges in his defense, and the suspect endangered the victim's life by burning him with monstrous intent using gasoline and fire, which are considered weapons, and that the victim's face was injured in a way that would cause permanent alteration and continuous loss of function of his senses and organs. The indictment stated that the defendant committed the aggravated crime, that the suspect's actions were established by the statements of the plaintiff and witnesses, medical documents, physician reports, police reports, and the case file, and that there was sufficient suspicion to file a public case against him for the crime. Additionally, the indictment noted that according to the forensic examination report, the victim was examined eighteen months after the injury regarding the continuous weakening or loss of function of one of his organs.
In the prepared indictment, it was requested that the defendant Mert Açıkça be sentenced to 6 to 12 years in prison for 'intentional wounding with a weapon with monstrous intent' and 'aggravated wounding endangering life.'