Rabia Naz's father's call for justice: 'This process is hope for us'

The tragic death of Rabia Naz Vatan in 2018 continues to cast a long shadow, with her father, Şaban Vatan, renewing his call for justice. While official investigations concluded that the young girl died from falling from a height, a conclusion supported by an autopsy report, the family vehemently disputes this narrative. They maintain that Rabia Naz was struck by a vehicle and subsequently abandoned near their home.

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Hopefully, now what is necessary will be done.

This discrepancy between the family's account and the official findings has led to a prolonged struggle for closure. Despite over 130 witnesses being interviewed and a non-prosecution decision being issued, the father's pain and suspicion remain palpable. His recent hope has been rekindled by statements from the Minister of Justice, who indicated that Rabia Naz's case, along with others, is under review. This offers a glimmer of possibility that the truth might yet emerge.

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Rabia Naz left her mother at the pharmacy after school. Before that, she had gone to the stationery store, bought ice cream with her friends and eaten it. What happened to Rabia Naz after she left her mother is still not clear. At 5:17 PM that day, I received a phone call. I was in the Beşikdüzü district of Trabzon. I was told, 'Something happened to Naz, there's something on her face. She's by the side of the road.' In my panic, I came to Eynesil. I had called 112 on the way in my panic. The ambulance had arrived, and Rabia Naz was left on her back by the side of the road, in the section in front of my workplace. There were no signs of dragging in the place where she was found. It was as if someone had left a child on her back and fled. Her school bag should have been on her back, but it wasn't even there.

From our perspective at Cumhuriyet, the father's unwavering pursuit of truth is a testament to a parent's love and a citizen's demand for accountability. The details he recounts – the lack of struggle marks, the absence of her school bag, the severe, bloodless leg injury, and his daughter's final, desperate grip on his hand – paint a picture that starkly contrasts with the official 'fall from height' theory. These are the elements that resonate deeply with the public, fueling the demand for a thorough re-examination of the evidence and a just resolution for Rabia Naz.

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She went to the hospital and Rabia Naz was alive. My child was writhing in pain, she screamed in the ambulance. There was blood on her right side, but her nose wasn't even bleeding. At the same time, there was an open and significantly large wound on her foot. Her bones were visible, but there was no blood around the wound. They took me out of the room. I held my daughter's hand to give her courage, saying, 'My daughter, don't be afraid, I'm here.' She squeezed my hand tightly as if drawing strength. We were hopeful, and there was only a wound on her foot.