# Turkish judicial rulings in criminal cases

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/20261013-turkish-judicial-rulings-in-criminal-cases
> Updated: 2026-10-13T06:30:16.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

The Turkish legal system has issued significant rulings in two separate criminal matters.

In Ankara, the Court of Cassation overturned an 18-year prison sentence for İbrahim Çatuk. The case involved a fatal pest control incident in the Keçiören district where the use of aluminum phosphide in a residential setting led to the deaths of two neighbors. While the court upheld the finding of “conscious negligence,” it ruled the original sentence was legally inconsistent with the Turkish Penal Code, sending the case back for resentencing.

In Yalova, the Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) has finalized the aggravated life imprisonment sentence for Erdal Necip Sözer for the murder of his wife, Semiha Sözer. The 1st Criminal Chamber unanimously upheld the verdict, which included a specific notation regarding the crime being committed “against a woman.”

The incident occurred on January 24, 2023, in the Altınova district. Although the defendant claimed his wife fell while taking photographs, a 15-month investigation by gendarmerie teams and academic experts determined she was pushed from a height of approximately 20 meters. The court rejected requests for sentence reductions based on good behavior, citing digital forensic evidence that showed the defendant had searched for terms such as “how to push a person” and “how to throw a person” on his computer the day before the incident.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-13: Yargıtay finalizes life sentence for man who pushed wife off cliffs in Yalova

Turkey's Court of Cassation has finalized an aggravated life sentence for Erdal Necip Sözer for the murder of his wife in Yalova, after digital evidence revealed premeditated searches on how to push a person.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-supreme-court-upholds-life-sentence-for-man-who-pushed-wife-off-cliff

### 2026-09-20: Court of Cassation overturns sentence in fatal Ankara pest control case

Turkey's Court of Cassation overturned an 18-year sentence for a man whose improper use of aluminum phosphide caused the deaths of a mother and daughter in Ankara.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ankara-court-retrial-ordered-in-fatal-pest-control-poisoning-case

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Cite as: Turkish judicial rulings in criminal cases. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/20261013-turkish-judicial-rulings-in-criminal-cases