Turkish court frees man who attacked woman for ‘inappropriate’ clothing

A Turkish man who allegedly kicked and injured a young woman for wearing shorts on an Istanbul bus has been released from custody, local media reported on Sunday.

Police detained Abdullah Çakıroğlu on Saturday in Uskudar, a district on the Asian side of the city, the private Dogan news agency reported.

Shouting “Those wearing shorts must die!” Çakıroğlu allegedly attacked the woman, who works as a nurse, kicking her in the face, reports said.

He later told police he had been angered by her clothing.

“The shorts she was wearing were inappropriate. That’s why I was angry and behaved so,” he was quoted as saying by Dogan.

Çakıroğlu pleaded guilty to the charges, according to Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News. However, he also claimed to be suffering from mental health issues. “I am receiving psychological treatment. I suddenly kicked [her] impulsively,” he said.

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The victim, identified only as A.T., thanked the only person on the bus who came to her defense. “He helped me on the bus, although he did not know me. He was the only person who helped me,” she said. “I really thank him,” Hurriyet reported.

Çakıroğlu, who handles security for a company, had previously been diagnosed as suffering from “manic depression,” the agency said. His brother claimed that Çakıroğlu suffered from schizophrenia but refused treatment.

Many feminists in Turkey have expressed growing concern over the extent of violence against women, with hundreds killed every year, often by their husbands.