A serious incident has shocked public opinion in Turkey and beyond, after an 18-year-old girl, Oya Budak, was shot dead by her fiancé in Istanbul. The victim was over 5 months pregnant and according to reports, the pregnancy was the result of sexual abuse.
The alleged perpetrator, Samet Y., 19, had initially agreed to get engaged, but after learning of the pregnancy, he reportedly called off the engagement and began avoiding contact with the deceased. On Thursday evening, he called Oya and asked her to meet “to clear things up.” She agreed and went on a date with her 13-year-old brother.
In circumstances that are still under investigation, Sameti pulled out a gun and shot him in the chest and ear, leaving him lying on the ground. The perpetrator fled the scene in his father's car, while citizens who heard the shots immediately notified the police and ambulance.
Oya Budak was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery, but despite the doctors' best efforts, she could not survive. Neither could the baby she was carrying.
After a quick search, police located Samet at his uncle's house and arrested him. He was taken into custody and then to the prosecutor's office to give a statement. According to Ekol TV reports, when a journalist asked him why he had killed Oyan, he replied curtly:
"I have no regrets. Go away."
The victim's grandfather, Orhan Budak, told the media that his granddaughter had been sexually abused by a colleague and that the family was unaware of the pregnancy until after the engagement.
"Oya told me that they had agreed to meet to talk, but we never thought it would end like this," he said.
The incident has sparked anger and sadness across the country, with women's rights activists and civil society organizations demanding justice for Oya and harsh punishment for the perpetrator.
