Buket Özgünlü Boyacı, the president of the Paws for Life Association, who was detained and arrested after taking 35 dogs allegedly infected with rabies from a shelter in Siverek district of Şanlıurfa to Ankara, appeared before the judge. During the hearing, Özgünlü’s supporters said to the İHA reporter, “We beat her in the last hearing, she didn’t get wise. She is here again.”
Arrested defendant Buket Özgünlü Boyacı, lawyers of the parties and members of the association attended the hearing held at Ankara 38th Criminal Court of First Instance. The defendant’s lawyer asked for the press to be excluded from the courtroom. The judge asked some members of the press to leave the courtroom because there was not enough space in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the relatives of the defendant said to the UAV reporter, “We beat him in the last hearing, he didn’t learn. He is here again”, while other journalists said, “These are newcomers, they will come to their senses”.
At the beginning of the trial, after the court judge read the incoming documents, the defendants were given the floor. Arrested defendant Buket Özgünlü Boyacı stated that they decided to go to Şanlıurfa with some volunteers and Ankara Bar Association lawyers to make a press statement based on the posts they saw on social media. Boyacı stated that they went to the animal shelter together with the employee of the association and visited the shelter together with the veterinarian in charge of the shelter.
Stating that he asked the veterinarian, “Can we adopt the animals?”, Boyacı said, “The veterinarian said that we can adopt the animals after calling the District Director of Agriculture and getting his approval. The shelter staff loaded the dogs selected by the veterinarian onto the vehicle. Meanwhile, I signed the adoption report written by the veterinarian in his own handwriting.”
Asked by the public prosecutor, “Why did you choose to take the sick animals to Ankara instead of taking them to a nearby clinic?” Boyacı said, “There was no veterinarian I trusted on the way.”
“There were sick animals”
Muhammed Savaş Demir, the defendant without arrest, said that he had been providing pet transportation services for about 4 years. Explaining that he went to the animal shelter in Siverek upon a call from arrested defendant Boyacı, Demir said, “There were sick animals in the shelter. Buket was meeting with a veterinarian to adopt the dogs. The animals were loaded into the vehicle under the supervision of the veterinarian. Then I set off for Ankara. There were no quarantine or rabies warning signs on the road.”
“I saw the dog die”
Stating that he drove from Şanlıurfa to Adana without stopping, defendant Demir said, “I stopped in Adana to give water to the dogs. I saw a dog die there. Then I continued on my way and delivered the animals to the veterinarian of the association in Ankara. I saw another dog die here. I am innocent and demand my acquittal.”
After the statements, the prosecutor asked for the continuation of the defendant Boyacı’s detention. Announcing his interim decision, the court judge decided to release the defendant Boyacı on judicial control conditions and adjourned the hearing to November 5.
Background of the incident
Buket Özgünlü, the president of the Paws for Life Association, allegedly took 35 dogs with rabies disease from an animal shelter in Siverek and brought them to Ankara. An investigation was launched against Özgünlü, who shared this situation on her social media account. Buket Özgünlü and association employee M.S.D., who were detained within the scope of the investigation initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, were referred to the courthouse after the procedures at the police station. Özgünlü and M.S.D. were referred to the Criminal Judicature of Peace on Duty with the demand for their arrest on charges of ‘violating measures regarding infectious diseases’ and ‘opposing the law on animal protection’. Özgünlü was arrested and sent to prison, while M.S.D. was released. Within the scope of the indictment prepared by the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, a lawsuit was filed against association president Buket Özgünlü and M.S.D. by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office with the demand of imprisonment up to 4 years each for ‘violating measures regarding infectious diseases’ and ‘torturing owned animals’.
