A district court in Istanbul has ruled to release the two brothers convicted earlier for pushing a young Armenian woman to suicide, Harberler reported.

The brothers, Barish Okumush and Orhan Okumush, were convicted over charges of blackmail, infringement on an individual’s private life and a suicide scandal. They were set free at a second court hearing after spending six months in jail.

The mother of the young woman, Narine Mkrtchyan, also attended the hearing. She had said in a testimony that she didn’t meet her daughter on the day she committed suicide, but had communicated with her by telephone.

“My boyfriend, Orhan, has photographed me. His brother is using those photos to blackmail me into co-habiting with him. When I rejected him, he said he would tell my brother. I don’t want Orhan anymore,” she told her mother, Noune Mkrtchyan, over the phone.

Narine, who had illegally migrated to Turkey in 2008, lived in Istanbul’s Kumapi district together with a brother and a step-father. She fell in love with Orhan, his neighbor, who promised to marry her and photographed her naked. Orhan’s brother later threatened the girl with showing the photos to her brother if she disagreed to cohabit with him. As Narine’s family resided in Turkey illegally, she could to seek protection by the police. She ended up in suicide on February 28, by drinking poison.

Narine’s female friends also gave evidence in court. One of them, Sibel Tunan, said she was aware of the photos.

“But the brothers share 80% of the guilt, with Narine Mkrtchyan’s family being responsible for the rest 20%. Narine told me that her step-father had also sexually assaulted her,” she said, adding that Narine had told her of the plan commit suicide.

After hearing the witnesses the defense submitted a motion for releasing his clients on parole. After approving the proposal, the court adjourned.