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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Rachel Hagan

Chilling last moments of woman, 18, caught on CCTV before she was found dead

A young woman who left home for a job interview in Turkey never returned home - and her last moments were caught on CCTV.

Aslihan Sinem Cicek, 18, was filmed on CCTV cameras in Bayrakli, Izmir Province, as she sprinted down the street on July 26 last year.

She had left her home earlier that day for a job interview in Bornova, some seven miles away, but never came back.

Her worried dad, Serdar Cicek, reported her disappearance to the police and officers found her dead the next day.

Investigators saw footage of the victim getting into a white van and after studying the vehicle's route, they were led to the home of "Cem A.", on whose street the CCTV footage of Sinem running anxiously was filmed.

He was arrested, charged with qualified sexual assault, and released on bail with an electronic ankle tag.

Sinem Cicek, 18, poses in undated photo (CEN)

Officers arrested two further suspects, including "Cem A.'s" cousin, "Diyar A." and Burak Kaya who was found with Sinem's mobile phone. He tested positive for drugs in his blood and urine.

Kaya denied killing the teenager during questioning and was questioned for robbery but was later released on bail, before being convicted of another crime and sentenced to prison.

Prosecutors charged "Cem A." with qualified sexual assault and deprivation of liberty and demanded a 19-year prison sentence.

They charged Kaya with robbery and demanded a 15-year prison sentence.

No murder charges were pressed but the suspects are on trial at the 11th Heavy Penal Court in Izmir.

Serdar told local media: "Our first court hearing was held, statements were taken, and each one was listened to.

"Defendant 'Cem A.' says he took my daughter around 2pm, but it appears on the camera footage he took her around 4pm.

"Additionally, he claims that he left my daughter's house around 7pm, but on the camera footage, it is seen that she ran away from 'Cem A.'s' street at 9.36pm, not at 7pm.

"On the other hand, the other defendant, Burak Kaya, says in his statement that he bought water and yoghurt for my daughter and then walked about 10 kilometres in the opposite direction for help.

She runs hurriedly along the street (CEN)

"This sounds ridiculous to me. I think their statements are contradictory and blatantly false."

The grieving dad added: "I learned that the defendants were friends. My daughter running into Burak Kaya on the highway after escaping from 'Cem A.'s' house at 9.36pm already raises suspicion.

"My daughter was beaten, had blood on her, and had wounds on her mouth and nose. She also had some bruises on her body.

"These individuals were banned from leaving the country and are walking free. We demand justice. We will go to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary."

The trial continues.

Femicide is a growing problem in Turkey, particularly after the country officially quit the Istanbul Convention in July 2021.

According to data from the 'Monument Counter', which is "a digital memorial for women killed by violence" and is updated daily, 393 women were killed by men in 2022, while 76 femicides have taken place in Turkey so far this year.

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