2 Women Jailed for Killing Rapist

A Turkish Cypriot court Monday sentenced a German mother and daughter to prison for killing a rapist who had attacked them in a lonely seaside campsite.

Uthe Loh, 48, received four years in prison. Her daughter Melani, who turns 21 today, got three years. Both are from West Berlin.

The court said that by the time of his death, Ozmen Tulga, 20, was weakened by his struggles with the two tourists and no longer posed a threat to them. It also said the women had failed to flee from the attacker.

The women, who came to Cyprus on vacation in March, were found guilty of manslaughter.

In statements read in court, they said Tulga forced his way into their tent and hit both of them with a stick before raping Melani. They said that in the struggle, they strangled Tulga with a belt but did not intend to kill him.

“We are going to appeal against the conviction and against the sentence,” defense lawyer Ali Dana said.