Mentally disabled young woman commits suicide after rape by Islamic cult leader

Istanbul prosecutors are seeking up to 26 years in prison for an Islamist cult leader after his rape of a mentally disabled woman. The woman, known only by the initials E.D., committed suicide on March 23, just 15 days after the rape.

Women activists hold a banner reading 'Don't protect, don't acquit, put on trial' in this file photo.

Duvar English

Turkish authorities have arrested the head of “Uzlet İlim Yayma” Association, which has close connections to the Islamist İsmailağa Community, on the grounds that he raped a 23-year-old mentally disabled woman in Istanbul.

The woman known by the initials E.D. committed suicide 15 days after being raped by the 34-year-old Alperen Sade, also known as “Ali Rıza Sade Hoca Efendi,” Halk TV reported on June 5. Turkish prosecutors are now demanding from 3 to 26.5 years in jail for the cult leader.

The incident occurred on March 7 and came out to light after the woman told about it to her family. The cult leader was detained 10 days after the family’s application to the police station and was eventually jailed.

And 15 days after the incident, on March 23, the woman jumped off from the window of her bedroom in Istanbul’s Pendik and lost her life.

“Uzlet İlim Yayma” (Seclusion Science Spreading) Association was founded by the assailant himself in 2020 and is still active. The association is giving education to several children and organizing Quran courses for İsmailağa Community.