In a sad incident that took place in a clothing store in a shopping mall in Şişli, Istanbul, a little child was sexually abused by a foreign national. The incident was taken to court and the foreign national was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. However, his lawyer objected to the decision, claiming that his client had been misunderstood.
Details of the incident
Mother S. and her children KN and YE entered the store to shop. When YE entered the dressing room to try on clothes, she noticed a person playing with his genitals in another cabin with the curtain open. The person attempted to abuse the child by calling him to him. The child explained the situation to his mother, and security intervened upon the mother’s screams.
- No abnormalities were found on the person or his clothes.
- The court ruled that the crime was committed in line with the consistent statements of the witnesses.
Court Decision and Objection
Istanbul 44th Criminal Court of First Instance decided that the person’s action constituted the crime of sexual harassment and that he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. Firouzian’s lawyer objected to the decision and stated that his client was a businessman, not prone to crime, and that the incident was misunderstood.
| Lawyer’s Objection | Court’s Decision |
|---|---|
| It was claimed that Firouzian made a sign to cover the curtain because he did not know Turkish. | The sentence was increased and he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. |
| It was stated that while Firouzian was trying on trousers in the cabin, the curtain was opened from the outside. | The punishment was determined considering that the act was committed in a public space. |
