Prison Demand for Suspect Targeting Headscarfed Women on the Metro

An indictment has been prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Hatice Öncel, who insulted a headscarved woman she encountered on the metro in Şişli, Istanbul, and used expressions on social media stating they should be 'annihilated'.

Development of the Incident and Indictment

A new phase has been reached in the judicial process conducted against Hatice Öncel, who targeted a headscarved woman on the metro during the incident that occurred in Şişli, Istanbul on June 21, 2026.

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Press Crimes Investigation Bureau, it was stated that the scandalous remarks uttered by the suspect exceeded legal boundaries.

Suspect's Defense Rejected

In her statement, suspect Hatice Öncel claimed that she shot a video due to the turmoil while taking her daughter to an exam and deleted the video upon the reactions received.

The prosecutor's office, however, did not find this defense of the suspect credible, noting that she generalized her reactions not over a specific behavior but directly over the headscarved identity.

Emphasis on Hate Speech

The indictment underlined that any dispute that took place could never legitimize hate speech in the direction of annihilation.

It was pointed out that the expression of annihilation used directly carried the purpose of destruction and violence, and that this situation was also capable of disrupting public peace.

Requested Prison Sentence

Following the completion of the ongoing investigation, the chief public prosecutor's office stated that the suspect committed the crimes of publicly inciting the public to hatred and hostility and insult.

In line with the prepared indictment, it was demanded that Hatice Öncel be tried with a prison sentence ranging from 1 year, 3 months, and 15 days to 5 years and 4 months.