A Turkish court has reduced the prison sentence of a doctor convicted of killing puppies he adopted through online platforms after a retrial, despite the prosecutor demanding that the original sentence be maintained, the Evrensel daily reported.
The Ankara Regional Court of Justice on Friday sentenced Dr. Mustafa Duman, 28, to more than four years in prison, convicting him of “deliberately killing domestic animals” and “obscenity” while overturning his conviction for “sexual assault of animals.”
In Turkey, deliberately killing a pet is punishable by up to four years in prison. However, euthanasia is permitted when a veterinarian determines that the animal is suffering from an untreatable condition, poses a danger to public safety or belongs to a prohibited breed.
According to the indictment, Duman adopted the puppies through online platforms, killed them and disposed of their bodies in trash containers.
The Ankara Batı 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance had previously sentenced Duman to more than nine years in prison in October for “deliberately killing domestic animals” and “sexual assault of animals,” along with a suspended sentence of over one year for obscenity.
Following Duman’s appeal, the Ankara Regional Court of Justice ordered a retrial, citing procedural deficiencies. The court also ruled that the hearings be held in closed session due to concerns over “public morality” and “public security.”
In April 2025 police searched Duman’s home after he gave inconsistent answers to the former owners who asked to see the puppies they had given him. The police found bloodied knives, dog hair samples and images on his mobile phone showing dead puppies in bags alongside obscene content.
Duman had denied the accusations, saying there was no evidence and that the dogs were alive and roaming the streets.
Defense lawyers representing animal rights organizations criticized the decision, saying the reduced sentence, despite the prosecutor’s request to uphold the original decision, amounted to a reward rather than a punishment and undermined justice.
The case sparked widespread public anger and renewed calls from animal rights groups for harsher penalties for crimes against animals.
