Court issues arrest warrant against man for 'abusing child who survived earthquake'

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A court has issued an arrest warrant Haşim Cemal E., who allegedly abused a child after she was pulled out of the rubble in Hatay after last month's earthquakes.

Two sisters, one adult and one child, were rescued from the rubble after the quakes. The man allegedly abused the one aged 13.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had opened an investigation into the incident. The sisters had given statements to prosecutors.

"He chased them"

Muhammed Bilal K., the brother of the two sisters, had filed a complaint with the prosecutors. He had told bianet that her sisters had been pulled out of the rubble 10 hours after the quakes and he had been rescued after three days.

"While my mother and father were under the rubble, they brought my sister R. (14) and elder sister F. to the Hatay State Hospital.

"... My sister said the main whom she heard to be H.C.E. had sexually abused her. The suspect asked my sister, 'Are you okay?' and abused her. As my sister tried to run away, he continued to chase her.

"The man showed the same behavior to other women in the hospital. My sister learned his name from another person who addressed the man by his name. And I did some research about him and found her social media accounts. I identified the suspect by showing his photograph to my sister."

After bianet's report about the incident, the Ministry of Family and Social Services contacted bianet and said they would follow the case. (EMK/VK)