Brother of Murdered Woman in Gaziosmanpaşa Recounts Victim's Fear and Plea for Justice

The brother of Şerife Gezer, who was fatally shot in Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, has spoken out about the relentless torment his sister suffered before her death. Hasan Hüseyin Gezer described how the perpetrator, Hakan Sayacı, had been obsessively harassing Şerife and their family for the past two years, despite a previous restraining order being issued.

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He has been constantly harassing my sister and my family for the last 2 years. He cuts off my sister's path all over the neighborhood. ... This person cut off both of their paths. They argued, my sister called my father. Incidents occurred in front of the coffee house.

Gezer explained that Sayacı and Şerife had known each other for five years, but after initial family introductions, Sayacı became distant. The harassment escalated over the last two years, with Sayacı frequently intercepting Şerife and their father. Gezer recounted an incident two months prior when Şerife got engaged, and Sayacı confronted both her and her fiancé near the registry office. He also mentioned an earlier attack where Sayacı assaulted Şerife and their father, leading to the restraining order.

"I couldn't even stand the thought of a strand of her hair being harmed, and yet this happened to her," Hasan Hüseyin Gezer said, his voice filled with anguish. He described witnessing videos of Sayacı calmly walking around with a gun, unable to comprehend how he could act so freely. Gezer expressed his deep pain and the devastation of his family, lamenting that he had to bury his own sister.

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I couldn't even stand the thought of a strand of her hair being harmed, and yet this happened to her. ... I buried my sister with my own hands. I ask the state, I ask our President. Let this incident not end like this. I also ask our Minister of Justice. Let this incident not remain like this. Our hearts are broken, let no one else's heart break. Let mothers not cry, let brothers not grieve.

He appealed directly to President Erdoğan and the Minister of Justice, imploring them to ensure that this case is not closed without proper justice. "Our hearts are broken, let no one else's heart break. Let mothers not cry, let brothers not grieve," he pleaded, highlighting the premeditated nature of the killing. Gezer believes Sayacı planned the murder meticulously, noting that the perpetrator was seen with water and acted with chilling calmness before firing the fatal shots.

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This person planned this in his head, he planned it. He walks around with water. How can he walk around so calmly. He turns, he shoots. ... This man got a restraining order 15 days ago. How can he move so freely based on this? How can he move so freely in the Küçükköy square with a gun in his hand? My sister was killed very unjustly. She was killed very badly. It is clear that this man did this consciously.