Protesters hold portraits of Narin Guran, 8, whose body was found after being missing for 19 days, during a protest at Kadikoy district in Istanbul, on September 8. AFP
Protesters hold portraits of Narin Guran, 8, whose body was found after being missing for 19 days, during a protest at Kadikoy district in Istanbul, on September 8. AFP

Turkish authorities detain three more relatives of murdered eight-year-old Narin Guran



Authorities in Turkey have detained three more relatives of a girl whose murder has captivated the nation for weeks during the search for her body.

The body of Narin Guran, 8, was found in a sack in a river in the south-eastern province of Diyarbakir on September 8, nearly three weeks after her disappearance. The sack had been covered with leaves and stones in an attempt to hide it, the local governor said.

Hediye Guran, one of Narin's aunts, was detained on Saturday and two cousins, identified only as IK and SK, were brought in for questioning on Sunday on suspicion of disrupting the work of security forces and search teams with false reports, Turkish news channel TRT reported. They could be either released or formally arrested after appearing in court on Monday.

Narin’s murder has provoked widespread anger in Turkey, where rights groups say 14 girls have been killed this year, nine of them with their mothers. Campaigners say authorities are failing to protect women and children from violence, often at the hands of male relatives. More than 10 relatives have been implicated in her death.

A 32-person team at Istanbul Forensic Institute is examining bone and tissue samples to determine the exact cause of Narin's death. There were few signs of violence on her body apart from some redness behind her ear.

Narin's father was released from police questioning on Friday and told local media he was confident her killers would be found.

“May God bring this fire to their house too. Who wanted what from us? We were a nuclear, caring family,” said Arif Guran, a car dealer whose family owns land in the area.

“The whole village can be taken until this investigation is over. Me too, but in the end the state will solve this. I believe that,” he said.

Authorities initially detained about two dozen people over Narin's murder, including her parents and members of her extended family. Eleven have been formally arrested, including her mother and older brother, who are suspected of complicity in deliberate murder. Six other relatives and locals, including and a man who worked for the family, have been arrested on suspicion of destroying criminal evidence and favouring the criminal.

Narin's uncle, Salim Guran, was arrested on September 2 on suspicion of premeditated murder and deprivation of liberty after her DNA was found in his car. His associate, Nevzat Bahtiyar, was arrested on suspicion of the same crimes and confessed to hiding Narin’s body in the Egertutmaz stream, near the family's home in Tavsantepe district of Diyarbakir province. The region is a relatively poor and conservative part of south-eastern Turkey, where most residents are from the Kurdish ethnic minority.

On Friday security forces also arrested a 15-year-old, identified only as RA, who worked for Salim Guran. He was questioned over apparent discrepancies in his statement to police and about a text message in which he asked Mr Guran, “OK, I don't have it yet/okay, it's not dead yet?”, state media reported.

Turkish authorities have criticised journalists and social media users for widespread commentary on the murder investigation, which has dominated local channels in Turkey.

“It is the wish of all of us that an effective investigation can be carried out, that the material truth is revealed, and that those who murdered our delicate girl are brought before the judiciary and sentenced to the harshest punishment in our law without jeopardising the confidentiality of the investigation,” Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on Friday.

State authorities often ban reporting on topics deemed to be sensitive, in what rights groups say are curbs on press freedom.

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if you go

The flights

Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return. 

The trek

Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required. 

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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

Updated: September 17, 2024, 11:02 AM

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