The Final Verdict in the Palu Family Case

The Supreme Court of Appeals has announced its final decision in the case known as the Palu Family case. The court upheld the life sentence of Tuncer Ustael for the crime of possibly intentional killing in the case of Melike Tahnal's death. The process, which started with the disappearance of Meryem Tahnal and her young daughter Melike Tahnal in Kocaeli's Körfez district in 2008, was brought back to the agenda by the family members who participated in the program 'Muge Anli ile Tatli Sert' in 2018. The claims and contradictory statements made during the live broadcast led to the reopening of the case by the Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. As the investigation deepened, several family members were taken into custody. In the trial held at the Sakarya 6th Heavy Penal Court, Tuncer Ustael was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime of 'possibly intentional killing of a child'. The 1st Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation completed the appeal examination and upheld the decisions of the local court. The judgment stated that the act of giving 'ispirto' to the victim was proven and that its evaluation within the scope of 'possible intentional killing' was not contrary to the law.