2021 February Report*

In February 28 femicides, 12 Suspicious Women Deaths

In Turkey, the fight for stopping femicides has been continuing for ten years. Our platform has been announcing femicide data since we identified the need to the public in 2010. The Ministry, which is responsible for announcing the data has to systematically explain how many women were killed, why, how, and by whom. According to the Istanbul Convention, the state should disclose statistics however, after years, we see that the Ministry of Interior started to announce data as a result of our fight. In addition to explaining the reality of femicide and suspicious deaths of women, the state has to put into practice concrete solutions to stop femicides. We will continue to fight to activate all relevant ministries and all mechanisms to fulfill this task.

The reason of 15 femicides could not be determined

This month, 28 femicides were committed, 12 women were found suspiciously dead. It could not be determined why 15 out of the 28 women were killed, 3 women were killed out of economic reasons, 10 women were killed because of deciding about their own life, such as wanting to divorce, refusing to make peace, refusing to marry and be in the relationship. The fact that the reason 15 femicides could not be identified is as a result of making violence against women and femicides invisible. Unless it is determined by whom and why the women were killed; unless a fair trial is made, suspects, defendants, and murderers receive deterrent punishments and preventive measures are not implemented, violence against women continues increasingly.

By Whom Were Women Killed?

Of the 28 women murdered in February, the perpetrators of 14 women were the men they were married to, 6 were the men they were with, 4 were someone they know, 2 were their brothers, 1 was her son. The proximity of the people who caused the death of 1 woman could not be determined.

Women were killed the most in their own homes

16 women were murdered in their houses, 5 were murdered in the middle of the streets, 1 was murdered in a car, 1 was murdered in the workplace and 1 was murdered in a landed property, 1 was murdered in a hotel, 1 was murdered in a deserted area, 1 was murdered in a coal

room. One woman’s place of death could not be identified. 57% of femicides committed this month were in their homes.

The women were killed mostly by firearms.

13 of them were killed by firearms, 9 of them by cutting tools, 4 of them by drowning, 1 of them by being shot with a sledgehammer, and 1 by being shot with a dumbbell.

Employment status of women still cannot be determined.

It is very difficult to determine the employment status of women. We think that this important data should also be taken into consideration by press members. According to the data announced by TUİK this month, the number of women ``engaged in housework" decreased by 1 million 968 thousand compared to the previous year. Thus, according to TUİK, the number of women who are not even considered as labor force reached 9 million 773 thousand in November 2020. TUİK's explanation of the data in this way is to try to cover up the real dimension of women's unemployment. Women who are not taken into working life or who are removed from employment become more vulnerable to the dangers of gender-based discrimination, violence and femicide. According to the available data, while it is known that 7 out of 28 women killed in February were working in a workplace, the working status of 21 was unknown.

We Will Not Leave Femicides Suspicious, We Will Have the Istanbul Convention Implemented

Last September, Sevginur Aktaş was injured in the head with a gun, and the man she was married to claimed that she tried to kill herself. Sevginur came out of the intensive care unit and in her statement, "My husband said,'' We do not have a divorce, and shot me. " said. If Sevginur Aktaş had not been able to leave the intensive care unit, the perpetrator would have tried to cover up the murder by saying it was suicide. Again, this month, the DNA sample taken from Ümitcan Uygun matched the DNA in Aleyna’s body, who battered Aleyna Çakır in live broadcast in Aleyna Çakır's suspicious death and whom Aleyna already had a complaint against, was not even seen as the prime suspect. We want the process to be carried out effectively and the facts about Aleyna Çakır's death to be revealed.

The perpetrators are making femicides suspicious, they’re trying to cover up the murders. Femicides are obscured by not carrying on an effective investigation and prosecution process and stating femicides as a suicide, natural death or an accident.  Women are killed because they want to make a decision regarding their life. Year in and year out, we’re trying to disclose the femicides. As we disclosed Şule Çet’s murder, reopened Aysun Yıldırım’s case and put up a fight  for Aleyna Çakır and stayed after it; as we did all, we won’t leave out any femicide as suspicious, we will have the Istanbul Convention implemented!

Governmental authorities that do not take any action to disclose femicides or protect women, are mobilizing all their power to stop the college students’ action made to protest injustice. Boğaziçi students’ struggle against therector appointed by the President is continuing. 9 students are still not released. Most of the students who were released are in house arrest with ankle monitors. The authorities which state that there aren’t enough ankle monitors for the child abusers, perpetrators of violence against women; now somehow can provide enough ankle monitors without any problem while keeping Boğaziçi students under house arrest. Are the students who are claiming their rightful demands more dangerous than perpetrators in the eyes of people in charge. The government should use its power to overcome perpetrators not students who claim their rights.

In Erdoğan’s statements, while referring Ayşe Buğra he says that she is a female academician at the university- as “wife of someone named Kavala(he is in prison due to Gezi case)” and not using her name as a result of his own interoception of not seeing women as an individual. Then he made discriminative statements against LGBTIQ+ individuals. No sexual orientation can be ignored or dissociated by saying “There is no such thing as LGBTİQ+”, “lesbian or something else''. In the rightful fight that they put up, students and LGBTİQ+ are never alone.

Özlem Zengin rejected the accusations of strip-searches being done in prisons again this month, saying that “honorable and moral” women who have been strip-searched would not wait a year but voice their discomfort immediately. After the negative reactions she received, she stated that she spends her life defending the rights of all women, whether they are in agreement or not. Zengin, who accuses women even in an abuse of right such as strip-searching, are at odds with herself when she says she spends her life defending women’s rights. We would like to remind that the duty of the government is not to accuse women when they get subjected to sexual and psychological violence, but to make sure that they are not exposed to any kind of violence.

University Women’s Assemblies: We will Choose both the Rector and our Future

Young women, who say we will choose both the rector and our future, came together just before the 8th March. We will continue to grow our fight towards equality and freedom on university campuses.

Worker Women’s Assemblies: We will Live Equally, We will Get our Rights

Just before the 8th March, we are walking with all women whose labor has been exploited and labor power bought; to live equally, get our rights and demolish the system of exploitation.

High School Women’s Assemblies have been formed

This month women from high schools conducted their first meeting, saying if violence knows no age, neither does our fight. Against the injustices they face in education, women from high schools are saying “No Votes for You”. With our fight growing across all ages, no women will ever walk alone.

Don't Get Used to Femicide: This month we announced our report in the squares

This month we are not disclosing our report as we usually do at the beginning of every month. People should not see femicides as normal, so they will understand that the number of victims is not merely numbers. We do not want to fight for this continuously in courthouses, campuses and streets.  Authorities should use their power to stop femicides and to reveal femicides cases that have been left suspicious.

We are in the Act on 8 March for Equality and Liberty

As every year, this year we are in the streets for the 8 March International Women's Day.  Adana, Alanya, Antalya, Ankara, Adıyaman, Aydın, Balıkesir, Batman, Bursa, Bitlis, Çorum, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Düzce, Eskişehir, Edirne, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Gebze, Isparta, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kastamonu, Kocaeli, Kayseri, Kütahya, Konya, Kilis, Manisa, Marmaris, Mersin, Muğla, Nevşehir, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Tokat, Yalova and Berlin. Together we fill the squares with our slogan "You will never walk alone".

We are expanding our fight by establishing Women's Assemblies in 81 provinces and all districts.  We will stop femicides.

6284 and its consequences

The Law No. 6284 regulates many measures such as restraining order for perpetrators and protection order for women who are subjected to violence.  It recognizes many rights, from empowering women financially to having their identity changed.  Law No. 6284 entered into force as a result of the struggle of women's organizations for years, it is able to protect women if applied effectively.  Law No. 6284 that aimed to protect women and prevent violence, became possible after the signing of the Istanbul Convention.

While it is not known that 26 women who become victim of femicide had restraining order or not, there are just 2 women are known who had judicial application such as police complaint, divorce stage, restraining or protection order.

Although women had protection orders and judicial application, they were killed by men. Not considered women’s notice by law enforcement officers, not runned investigation and prosecution processes effectively cost women’s life.

In Pınar Gültekin case, Mertcan Avcı’s , who is getting judged with helping the murder, eviction, perpetrator Metin Avcı’s continuation of imprisonment were decided. 

 In Fatma Şengül’s murder case, “unjust provacation discount” was given to defendant is abolished.He was Punished for crime of deliberately killing without any discount. 

G.A got seriously injured in a shooting by the man who was married to her.  Perpetrator was taken into custody while he was trying to escape.         

Kardelen Lofçalı, 19 years old, was stabbed by the man she divorced, is struggling for life.

Saliha Duran was stabbed from her heart by her son and  she is struggling for life.

Fatma Bebek, who was subjected to violence by the man she was married to in Adana, attempted suicide. She said, “He beat my children too and I couldn’t stand it, I wanted to die”. Fatma’s treatment is currently ongoing.

8 months ago, İkranur Tirsi’s dead body was found 7 km away from her house. Her 14-year-old uncle said that he killed İkranur.

It was revealed that 4-year-old Leyla Aydemir, who was pronounced dead a while after being lost, was subjected to sexual abuse. Even though the autopsy report was out in 2018, today the DNA samples of the suspects are still not collected.

In the case of Saniye Çetin, who was murdered 11 years ago, acquittal of defendants was dismissed. The 7 suspects were rejudged, and they were given aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of honour killing.

2 years ago, Masoudeh Hasehmi was killed in Burdur by the man she was together with. The perpetrator was jailed pending trial and was sentenced with life imprisonment. The sentence was then reduced to 18 years with the excuse of having committed the crime due to being provoked.

These examples show how important the proper implementation of İstanbul Convention and the law numbered 6284 is to protect the women’s lives. For effective protection of women, the preventive decisions must be applied, the process must be followed, every institution of the government must defend women’s rights and the public officials who do not serve as they should, must be punished.

Truth behind suspicious women deaths must be revealed immediately

As we have been stating in our reports, the number of suspicious deaths that were presented as suicide or because of natural causes and the number of women that are suspiciously found dead are substantially increased during the pandemic. Unfortunately, tackling suspicious

women deaths can be even more of a challenge than femicides. Whether the women were killed or died by an accident or if they were killed based on their gender (femicide) or if it was a suicide or if the women were driven to suicide must be revealed.

Ayşe Özgecan Usta, 28 years old in Zonguldak lost her life falling from the 8th floor after fighting with the man that she was with.

Merve Abasiyun, 19 years old who lives in Bingöl was found hanging from her neck in the apartment that she stayed in.

Betül Özdemir, 27 years old in Hatay who was a college student was found hanging from her neck in her house. It has been learned that there are double rope trails on Betül’s neck.

A woman of Iraqi origin in Ankara was found killed by the man she lived with in the house she moved to the previous day.

The suspicious deaths of 12 women that we learned in February must be revealed immediately. What to do is obvious; The Protection Law No 6284 and the Istanbul Convention should be implemented effectively and fully together with all institutions and organizations. Investigations of suspected femicides should be carefully examined and concluded quickly.

What happened about women in February?

AK Party Deputy Group Chairperson Tokat Deputy Lawyer Özlem Zengin, for some women with babies in prison, said "These people now have a baby with instruction, to say that women with babies are in prison."

The Dutch Senate approved the constitutional amendment proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Chairman of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, Mori Yoşiro resigned. He announced that he resigned after the increased reactions that his statements targeting women.

For the first time, Pope Francesco, leader of the Catholic Church, appointed a woman to the position of voting undersecretary in the Bishops Council.

In New Zealand, girls will be provided with free sanitary pads for 3 years.  Free feminine hygiene products are distributed in schools all over New Zealand per June as part of the fight  against poverty programme.

The Gender Policy Council is established in White House.  The mission of the Gender Policy Council is to take gender issues into account in every important decision . The council will be represented in all ministries and offices.

Life struggles of 28 women who were killed in February

Canan Acer (Istanbul),  shot to death by her husband Ümit Acer. Perpetrator committed suicide soon after he killed his wife.

Hatice Helvacı (Istanbul), shot to death by her husband Mehmet Helvacı following her divorce lawsuit. Perpetrator reported to commit suicide using the same gun he used to shoot her wife.

Türkiye El Mohammed (Muğla), 50 years old, was killed by thieves that entered her house Ö.E.A and A.M, using a cutting tool.

İkram Kaplan (Kırşehir), 34 years old and a mother of 3, stabbed 27 times to death by her husband Zafer Kaplan.

Meryem Güneş (Şanlıurfa), shot to death by her partner Halil Kermeli. Perpetrator reported to commit suicide using the same gun after the event.

Şule Yıldırım (Hatay), 38 years old and mother of 4, her partner Ercan Y. cut her throat in front of her children and caused her death.

Saime Ü, who was a mother of two children, at the age of 40, living in İzmir, was murdered in front of her children by her spouse Baykent Ü. It is learnt that the perpetrator, who injured his childen with a knife, committed suicide with the same knife.

Melek Gürler, who is a mother of two children, at the age of 29, living in İstanbul, was strangled to death with economical allegations by her spouse Mahmut Gürler. It is learnt that the perpetrator went to the work after the murder and told her family that he could not have contact with Melek, and Melek had a suspencion order to the perpetrator 6 months ago.

Zeynep İkinci, who was a nurse, at the age of 32, living in Trabzon, was murdered with a  firearm by her spouse Kamil İkinci. It is learnt that the perpetrator committed suicide with the same weapon later.

Gülistan Şaylemez, 37, who lives in Diyarbakır, was killed by her brother Abdullah Şaylemez with a firearm on the street. It was learned that Gülistan had filed a complaint about her father Abdülvehap Şaylemez and her relative Adil S. by saying ‘’I am afraid that my father and Adil S. will kill me. I’m filing a complaint about my father and Adil S." and she stated that she wanted to go to a women’s shelter.

Hacer Çetin, 36, who lives in Kocaeli, was killed with a firearm by Halim E., who was in a relationship with her, on the pretext of wanting to break up with him. It was learned that the perpetrator took hostage the body of Hacer for an hour and a half, and then the perpetrator was persuaded and surrendered.

Gamze Kaçar Bozkurt, 38, mother of one child, who lives in Antalya, was killed with a firearm by Yusuf Onur Kaan Bozkurt, whom she was married to. It was learned that the perpetrator later tried to kill himself with the same gun.

Nur Cemil Hüseyin, 36, mother of 5 children, who lives in Gaziantep, was first injured by a sharp object in front of her children by Ali Hüseyin, whom she was married to, and then she was strangled to death. It was learned that the perpetrator later escaped from the scene.

Meral Şen, 40, factory worker and mother of 2 children, who lives in Izmir, was killed with a sharp object on the street by Erkan Ş. who Meral was working with him in the same workplace on the pretext of telling the management of the factory that the perpetrator came to work with alcohol.

Ayşe Nazlı Kınacı, 20, who lives in Izmir, was strangled to death by Taylan Özgür İmal, whom she met in the park. The lifeless body of Ayşe Nazlı was found wrapped in a blanket in the forest area.

Mihrican Ekmenci, who is a mother of two, at the age of 46 and a master instructor at a public education center, living in Samsun, was murdered with a sharp object by her spouse Oğuz Taner Ekmenci.

Semiha Ikhadır, who is at the age of 38, living in İstanbul, was murdered with the allegations of jealousy by Majed A. who is in a relationship with her. It is learnt that the perpetrator recorded a video after the murder and sent it to his friend, saying “Whoever did me wrong will end up like this, everyone will learn my name.”

Hatice Toğrul, who lives in Şanlıurfa, was murdered with a firearm by her spouse Mehmet Toğrul. It is learnt that the perpetrator committed suicide with the same gun later.

Feride T., 72, who lives in Muğla, was killed by a sledgehammer in her head by Ali T., whom she was married to.

Hanife Yenisu, 46, who lives in Istanbul, was hit with a dumbbell by Erol Yenisu, whom she was married to, on the excuse that she had a restraining order.

Birgül Y., 43, mother of 3 children, who lives in Ankara, was killed by Hasan D. Who she was in a relationship with a firearm on the street, on the pretext of wanting break up with him.

Semiha Peker, 33, factory worker and mother of one child, who lives in Manisa, was killed with a firearm on the street by Yalçın Kocataş, who she was with before, on the pretext of cheating on the perpetrator. It was learned that Semiha had taken a protection order against the perpetrator.

It was revealed that Güldane Biçer, mother of 3 children, who lives in Istanbul and has been missing since 2011, was killed with a sharp object on the pretext of jealousy by Osman Bicer, whom she was married to.

Nergiz Sarıkaya, 26, mother of 3 children, who  lives in Afyon, was killed with a firearm in front of her children by Ahmet Sarıkaya, whom she was married to.

Pınar Can,33,  mother of 2 children, who lives in Nevşehir, was killed by Halis D. who she was in relationship with him on the pretext of jealousy. It was learned that the perpetrator was released from prison a year ago.

Gülsüm Berk, 53 and Güler Kaya, 51 who live in Istanbul, were killed by Murat Berk with a firearm. It was learned that the perpetrator later tried to kill himself  with the same gun.

It was revealed that Samira Rashidian, 31, who lives in Balıkesir and was found dead with a plastic bag on her head, was killed by her friend P.E on the pretext of economic reasons.