A man who raped a nine-month-old Syrian refugee was arrested in the southeastern province of Gaziantep on Aug. 20. The man, identified by the initials as S.D., was caught after the baby, identified only as E., fell ill and the doctors determined that she was sexually assaulted, Doğan News Agency reported.
The Syrian family went to work in a field in a farm after leaving the baby to S.D. on Aug. 19. The family took the baby to the İslahiye State Hospital hospital when they realized that she fell ill.
The doctors in the emergency determined that she was sexually assaulted and notified the gendarmerie, who later detained S.D., a shepherd in the same farm.
“S.D. was detained shortly after the incident and was arrested. The family and the baby was put under protection by the Family and Social Policies Ministry,” a statement released from Gaziantep Governor’s Office read.
Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya commented on the incident that caused uproar in social media.
“An inhuman incident happened. This disgusting incident created indignation in public and in my conscience,” she wrote on her Twitter account, as she added that psychological support is being given to the family.
“We will follow the case until the end,” she added.
A lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) also commented on the incident, saying that he wishes S.D. to be executed.
“I hope that death penalty will be reintroduced and he will die,” AKP’s Gaziantep deputy wrote on his Twitter account.
Meanwhile, a publication pan was ordered regarding the incident.
