Turkish Family on Umrah Pilgrimage Receives Prison Sentence in Saudi Arabia
Unable to leave Saudi Arabia for 8 months due to a prayer rug dispute with a police officer at the Kaaba, a Turkish family is awaiting the appellate court's decision regarding prison sentences handed down against them.
The Ünlüce family, who traveled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, ended up in court following allegations of a scuffle that began when a police officer stepped on their prayer rugs at the Kaaba, and they have been waiting months to return home due to a travel ban.
The Dispute at the Kaaba
Going to the Kaaba for the morning prayer on the twenty-fourth day of their Umrah visit, family members reacted when a duty officer stepped on the prayer rugs they were using to perform their tawaf prayer.
Following the reaction, a brief scuffle broke out between the parties, and the matter was taken to the police station upon the officer's complaint.
Detention and Trial Process
Following the procedures at the police station, family members were detained after the police officer claimed that violence had been inflicted upon him.
Mother Havva Ünlüce and her daughters Semra Karakaya and Hediye Ünlüce Sırakaya were held for four days, while their son Serdar Ünlüce was detained for forty-eight days.
Prison Sentence and Travel Ban
Released to be tried without detention, the family was slapped with a travel ban from Saudi Arabia, and prison sentences were handed down at the conclusion of the trial.
Appearing in court five times, Serdar Ünlüce was sentenced to five months in prison, while his mother and sisters were each sentenced to three months.
Appellate Decision Awaited
Serdar Ünlüce, who works as a real estate consultant in Eskişehir, stated that he did not commit violence against the police and acted solely out of a reflex to protect his mother.
After months of this ordeal, the family hopes that their appeal will yield a favorable outcome and that they can return to Turkey as soon as possible.