Man sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison for killing cats in Turkiye

A 71-year-old-man has been sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison for killing kittens with a paintbrush handle after they entered the kitchen of his house in Turkey.

The incident took place on August 11 in Kurudere Street, Sağlık Neighborhood, Salihli Salihli district of Manisa in Turkey when, Muzaffer Ş. killed the kittens with a paintbrush handle because they entered his house.

The suspect was taken into custody after the moment the cats were killed was covered in the press and social media.

In the first hearing of the case held at the Salihli 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, the defendant requested his release saying, “I am 71 years old. I worked as a civil servant for 30 years. This is the first time in my life that I have experienced such an outburst of anger. I apologize to all animal lovers and everyone I have upset. I also feel great remorse in my conscience. This is not my character.”

In response to Muzaffer Ş.'s defense that "This incident occurred against a cat, not 2 or 3 cats," the presiding judge reminded that he had mentioned 2 and 3 cats both in his statement at the District Police Department and in his statement taken at the Salihli Republic Prosecutor's Office.

The defendant said, "I insistently said a cat in my statements. The minutes always wrote 2 or 3 cats." 

Asiye Akbaş Aydın, the lawyer of the Manisa Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, who is a party to the case, requested that the defendant be sentenced to the maximum penalty.

After the parties rested, the prosecutor's office announced its opinion. The prosecutor's office requested that the defendant be punished for the crime of killing more than 1 cat mercilessly, and with monstrous feelings, based on camera footage and eyewitness testimonies, according to articles 28/A-2, 28/A-6 of the Animal Protection Law and 51/1, 54/1 and 63/3 of the Turkish Penal Code. After the parties rested, the hearing was adjourned for 10 minutes. Following the recess, the court sentenced the defendant to a total of 3 years and 9 months. The judge did not apply any discretionary reductions. 

After the verdict was announced, animal lovers who followed the hearing applauded the sentence being given at the maximum limit.

Making a press statement in front of the Salihli Courthouse, Salihli Animal Protection Association President Funda Canseven said, “We would like to thank our colleagues at the Izmir Bar Association and Manisa Bar Association, animal lovers, and law enforcement officers who have been following the process since the beginning. Although the defendant killed 3 kittens, it was recorded as 2. Because the mother cat had taken one of the kittens away. In fact, he killed 3 cats. I would also like to thank Asiye Akbaş Aydın, the lawyer of the Manisa Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, who made a very good defense and explanation. All of the defendant’s explanations were full of lies because there were his own statements and minutes. 

He made up many stories. He wanted to get a reduction in the sentence, but it didn’t happen. He received the most severe sentence he could receive according to the current law. 

Despite apologizing and expressing regret, he did not receive any reduction. We would also like to thank our judges and prosecutors. It was an incident that caused outrage in the hearts of society, and the defendant received an exemplary sentence. Of course, since the procedure was ongoing, he was released until the decision was finalized.”

Gizem Nur Demirtaş, a lawyer from the Manisa Bar Association, and Aylin Aras Öztürk, a lawyer from the Izmir Bar Association, also made speeches.