The Supreme Court of Appeals Third Bureau decided that a wife's testimony that she was injured in an accident after withdrawing her complaint against her abusive husband was not be admissible. The top court, in a decision that will set a precedent, said that despite the wife's decision to withdraw a complaint against her abusive husband, the husband had to be punished. According to court briefs, a man in Özalp, Van in eastern Turkey, attacked his wife, causing injuries, which were recorded in medical reports. The wife filed a criminal complaint against her husband, with the local prosecutor filing charges against the man for causing bodily harm. During the trial at the local court, the man threatened his wife, urging her to withdraw her complaint and change her testimony, which she did. She then said she was injured in an accident at home and the court had to drop the charges against the man. However, the local prosecutor went to the appeals court, arguing that the man's threats had caused the woman to withdraw the complaint. The appeals court unanimously decided to reject the local court's decision, ordering the local court to try the suspect on causing grievous harm to his wife.