Five people arrested on animal cruelty charges

Police have apprehended five individuals for subjecting an animal to torture prior to its slaughter after a video went viral and sparked a public backlash.

The incident, which occurred at a meat-integrated plant in the northern province of Amasya, led to the suspension of the facility's operations.

Footage of the abuse went viral, showing the suspects beating the animal that had escaped during the slaughter process. This prompted immediate public outrage and a subsequent investigation.

A written statement from the Amasya Governor's Office acknowledged the widespread reaction to the footage, which was disseminated on social media and other media outlets.

The Amasya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the suspects, identified only by their initials İ.T, N.T, H.S, E.Ç, and A.A, were arrested following the investigation.

The provincial directorate of agriculture and forestry, alongside the Amasya Nature Conservation and National Parks Directorate, imposed administrative penalties on both the enterprise and the suspects.

The gruesome footage revealed the suspects using sticks and axes to strike the animal's head.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı condemned the animal cruelty and announced the suspension of the facility's operations due to violations of animal welfare standards.

Yumaklı reiterated his stance on social media platform X, emphasizing the ministry's commitment to animal welfare.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç also announced the arrests on social media. He stated that the prosecutor's office launched an investigation under the Animal Protection Law immediately after the incident, leading to the arrest of the five suspects involved.