Man sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison for killing a cat in Turkey

İstanbul — A court in Istanbul has sentenced Burak Alan to three years and eight months in prison for torturing and killing a cat named Cezve in the Başakşehir district. 

The ruling, delivered by the Küçükçekmece 26th Criminal Court of First Instance, came at the conclusion of the case’s first hearing. The court did not apply any reduction to the sentence.

Background of the Case

The incident occurred several months ago in a residential complex in Başakşehir’s Başak neighborhood. Burak Alan, a construction worker employed on renovation projects at the site, was seen on security cameras pretending to pet a cat before taking it inside the building. Once inside, he subjected the animal to prolonged torture.

Security footage capturing the act shocked residents, who later found the cat dead and notified its owner, Serap Daşçı. After reviewing the footage, Daşçı filed a criminal complaint with the police, submitting the video evidence.

Official Reaction

The case drew widespread public outrage after footage of the abuse circulated on social media. Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç condemned the act, announcing that the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had launched a criminal investigation under Law No. 5199 on the Protection of Animals.

“These scenes of brutality are unacceptable — both morally and legally,” Tunç said at the time. “Violence against animals will never go unpunished.”