16.02.2025 11:10
A decision has been made regarding Birgül Gül, who stormed a hospital in Kahramanmaraş with a shotgun. Gül was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime of "depriving a person of their liberty by using force, threat, or deception."
On October 5, 2024, Birgül Gül, who came to the emergency service of the Necip Fazıl City Hospital's Women's Health and Children's Diseases additional service building in Kahramanmaraş, claimed there was a bomb in her bag and shouted, "Stop my heart." The incident caused panic in the hospital, and some healthcare workers tried to hide and protect themselves under stretchers and tables. Birgül Gül, who was neutralized by the hospital's security personnel and handed over to the police, was arrested at the courthouse to which she was referred.
APPEARED BEFORE THE JUDGE
After the investigation initiated following the incident was completed, an indictment was prepared, and a case was filed against Birgül Gül at the 7th Criminal Court of First Instance for the crime of "Threat with a weapon," with a request for up to 5 years in prison. The first hearing of the case, in which the Ministry of Health was also a party, was attended by 11 victims of the incident and their lawyers. Birgül Gül connected to the courtroom via SEGBİS from the prison where she was held.
"MY INTENTION WAS TO HAVE MYSELF KILLED"
In her defense, Birgül Gül accepted the accusations against her and stated that she was experiencing psychological issues, saying, "I had no intention of harming anyone in the hospital. My goal was to have myself killed there, and I ask for forgiveness from all of them. I do not know how to use a gun; the weapon I used in the incident belonged to my son. I knew it was a blank gun. I lost my loved ones intermittently over the last two years. This caused me psychological distress, and I started to think about death. After that, I wanted to meet Allah as soon as possible. I constantly thought about this. During the act I committed in the hospital, my intention was for the police or security to kill me," she said.
"SHE SAID THERE WAS A BOMB IN HER BAG"
The victims of the incident recounted their experiences, with 8 out of 11 stating that they did not file a complaint against Birgül Gül. One of the victims, E.I., who stated that she did not complain about the defendant, said, "I suddenly found myself face to face with the defendant while she had a rifle in her hand. She asked us to kill her; otherwise, she said she would kill us. She had a bag with her. She placed it on the stretcher and said there was a bomb inside. She prevented those present from leaving, saying, 'If anyone goes outside, I will kill them.'"
SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON
The court prosecutor requested that Birgül Gül be punished, stating that it was established that she committed the crime and that her detention should continue. At the end of the hearing, the judge noted that although the case was opened for the crime of "Threat with a weapon," it was established that Birgül Gül committed the crime of "Depriving a person of their freedom by using force, threat, or deception," and sentenced her to 12 years in prison. Then, due to Gül's lack of a criminal record and her behavior during the trial, the sentence was reduced to 10 years, and the continuation of her detention was decided.
"A EXEMPLARY SENTENCE WAS GIVEN"
Evaluating the decision, Dr. Lütfi Tiyekli, President of the Kahramanmaraş Medical Chamber, stated that the sentence was exemplary. Tiyekli said, "This was a very cheaply escaped incident; God forbid, much worse things could have happened there, but the incident was suppressed. The woman was taken into custody without causing any harm. During this process, our judiciary worked very quickly, made a rapid decision, and an exemplary sentence of 10 years was given to the relevant person. In this 10-year sentence, the decision to continue her detention was also made. This is a pleasing event for us. Although this incident was cheaply escaped in Kahramanmaraş, it is actually a very dangerous situation. If that shotgun had gone off at that moment, many of our colleagues working in the emergency room might have been injured or even killed. We want this decision to be taken as an example. Those who enter healthcare institutions with weapons or cause incidents in this way must know that they will be punished. We also thank the court for the rapid trial; it has given an exemplary decision in this regard," he said.