Suspected rapist sergeant Musa Orhan dismissed from military
Musa Orhan, a sergeant who was arrested last month in the repeated rape of 18-year-old İpek Er, has been officially dismissed from his post in the military. Orhan was initially detained in July upon complaints from Er's family, but was subsequently released. He was then arrested in August but released a week later, in a move that critics say reflects the policies of the ruling AKP.
Duvar English
Musa Orhan, a sergeant who was arrested last month in the repeated rape of 18-year-old İpek Er, has been officially dismissed from his post in the military, according to an announcement from the Interior Ministry on Aug. 31.
Text messages between Orhan and afriend recently went public in which Orhan reportedly wrote that heraped Er for 15 days straight. Er later attempted suicide andsubsequently died in the hospital.
Orhan was initially detained in Julyupon complaints from Er's family, but was subsequently released. Hewas then arrested in August but released a week later,ina move that critics say reflects the policies of President RecepTayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) andInterior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
“Of course, the fundamental reason behind certain circles constantly bringing this issue to the agenda is in order to cover up the things done by the [pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party] HDP and other members of the [Kurdistan Worker's Party] PKK,” Soylu said in response to the mounting reactions.
Many journalists, politicians and lawyers remain behind bars awaiting trial or convicted on trumped-up charges while accused rapists like Orhan walk free.
Femicide and violence against women are grave problems in Turkey, where women are killed, raped or beaten daily. The AKP’s policies that protect men by granting them impunity is the main cause of the problem, critics say.