Turkish Supreme Court Overturns 26-Year Sentence in Case of Woman Stabbed 58 Times

The Turkish Supreme Court (Yargıtay) has overturned a 26-year prison sentence in the case of Merve Veziroğlu, who was stabbed 58 times by her husband Yunus Yıldırım in 2023. Yıldırım had appealed to the higher court during proceedings with a defense of 'no intent to kill'; the Supreme Court accepted that appeal.

The ruling is set to reignite debate over the overturning of convictions in violence-against-women cases in Turkey. The Supreme Court's narrow interpretation of criminal intent in similar cases has previously drawn sharp public criticism.

Veziroğlu's survival following the 2023 attack sparked widespread reaction on social media at the time, and the case had become one closely monitored by women's rights organizations. Following the Supreme Court's decision, the case has been returned to the lower court for retrial.