May 2021 Report*

17 Femicides, 20 Suspicious Female Deaths in May

The fight to stop femicides in Turkey has been going on for nearly 10 years now. As the ‘We Will Stop Femicides Now’ platform, In 2010 we realized that we need to be documenting and releasing femicide datas  to the public. This work actually belongs to the The Ministry of Interior’s part, to share why, when, how, and how many women were being killed annually. But we came to the conclusion that Ministry of Interior's numbers and reasons were distorted and incorrect when it comes to the explaining the rise in the feticide datas.While explaining the reality of femicide and suspicious femicide deaths, it is the state's duty to implement concrete solutions and laws to stop these wrongful killings. We will continue to fight for the mobilization of all relevant ministries and mechanisms to fulfill this task.

The reason why those 10 women were killed could not be determined.

This month alone, 17 femicides happened and 20 women were found dead suspiciously without any evidence. 10 of those femicides have never been linked to a reason for why they were killed, and 7 of those were killed while trying to divorce their partner or refusing to reconcile. The inability to determine the excuse of those 10 women is another version of violence against women. Unless it is determined by whom and why women were killed; Unless a fair trial is made and the suspects, accused and murderers are not given deterrent punishments and preventive measures are implemented, violence continues to change, growing.

By whom they were killed?

Of those 17 women killed in May, 7 were killed by the men they were married to, 3 were killed by their ex-husband, 2 were killed by their sons, 1 was killed by an old boyfriend, 1 was killed by her father, 1 was killed by her current partner. And the other one was killed by a man whom she had no relationship with -past or present- with, and the murderer is still unknown.

Women were mostly killed at their own homes

10 of them were killed at their own houses, 2 of them on the street, 1 of them in the field, and 1 of them was killed in a deserted area. And 3 of those women who were killed have still no

trace where they’ve been the victim of a femicide. 59 percent of the femicides happened this month took place in their own homes.

Women were killed with sharp objects more than any other way

9 women  were killed with sharp objects, 5 by rifle, 2 by drowning, 1 by assault.

The work status of the those women still cannot be determined

According to the available data, 4 of those used to work in a facility and the remaining 13 didn’t have any job records.

Apply the Constitution, Law and Convention!

This month, we announced our new political line by saying “Apply the Constitution, Law and Convention!” All over the country, people face all kinds of violations of rights’ violations. The government is trying to rule the country with the circulars they have issued, but the people are aware of this and their legal rights. Resistance to these violations of rights and unlawfulness is growing. Women against those who try to usurp our constitutional right to protest; villagers whose lands ae tried to be entered for the sake of the interests of the bosses in İkizdere ; workers against employers who try to legitimize their rights violations under the pretext of the pandemic and students fighting against rectors who were unlawfully appointed to universities are resisting and they do not and will not give up the struggle.

We organized a Turkey Women's Assembly meeting to talk about our new political line. In our meeting, which we held with the participation of hundreds of women from Turkey and abroad, we talked about this process, our political line and what we can do in the upcoming processes and took decisions. We do not give up any of our rights and the Istanbul Convention.

This month in a statement, Interior Minister Soylu said that anyone who neglects their duty in violence against women will be held accountable. We would like to ask Soylu:

Have the law enforcement officers who did not protect Sibel Kaman, who was killed 4 days after taking the injunction, been held accountable?

In the case of Ayşe Tuba Arslan, who was killed with a petition in her purse after making 23 complaints about the perpetrator, the prosecutor, who said "there is no killing with a monstrous feeling" and "unjust provocation discount should be applied", did not protect Ayşe Tuba have the law enforcement officers been also held accountable?

Have the officers who did not protect Nermin U., who was shot while returning from the police station where she requested a protection order, have been held accountable?

We reveal the names of the women who were killed after a protection order or a police complaint, one by one, every month. The Minister of Interior should also explain each and every law enforcement officer who does not protect women and is held accountable.

Also in another statement he made this month, Soylu said, "There are no unsolved murders in Turkey." We are fighting for the murders of women left unsolved and suspicious deaths of women in Turkey. The authorities, who do not carry out an effective process even in the deaths with obvious suspects, claim that there is no unsolved murder. While the squares are echoing with the names of the women whose suspicious death we want to be revealed, “where” are they we asked, "what happened?" to them we are looking for answers,  Soylu's statement is unrealistic. Before making these statements, explain what happened to YeldanaKaharman, Nadira Kadirova, Aleyna Çakır, Rabia Naz. Explain the whereabouts of Gülistan Doku, 500 days after her disappearance this month.

Derya Yanık, Minister of Family and Social Services, said that the increasing violence against women in the pandemic is "tolerable". At the same time, she said, "I am also curious about the reason for the increase". No minister or official of this country is on duty to "tolerate" violence against women. We would like to remind you that you are sitting in those seats to investigate and solve, not to wonder the reason for the increase in violence. We do not tolerate any form of violence against women. While we are fighting to stop femicides and violence against women, it is unacceptable that the Minister of Family and Social Services tolerates violence.

In another statement in her speech, Yanık said, “After Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, there was confusion regarding the injunctions.” We ask Yanık, who says that there is a problem with the implementation, not with the legislation, whether there is any guidance or practice for the public officials on this issue. You cannot ignore the steps that you

have not taken effectively on violence against women by saying "there has been confusion". In order to prevent all kinds of problems and “confusion” that may arise, those sitting in those seats cannot justify their confusion by ignoring violence.

InteriorMinister SüleymanSoylu, while discussing women's underwear, speakstheword "childporn"in thebroadcast he attendedtheotherday. Youcannottrytonormalizeneitherchildabusenorcrimesagainstwomen in thisway.

It was the 10th anniversary of theIstanbulConvention. TheIstanbulConvention is the result of the struggle women have waged for years. Thosewhodecidetowithdrawfromthecontractinstead of effectivelyimplementingthecontractarethosewhotolerateviolence. As a result of the applications made regarding the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, the Council of State asked the Presidency to make a defense. We will follow the process, we will not give up on theIstanbulConvention.

Erdogan made all kinds of sexist statements and threats this month. We defend the constitution, lawandconventionagainstthosewho do not take responsibility for violence against women and develop a policy of denial, those who try to rule the country with threats and sexist discourses, and those who tolerate violence. Those who want to rule the country with threats, not law, a real so those who ignore violence against women and are responsible.

While one of our friends who participated in the protest in Ankara was suspended from her school, the university loans of two of our friends who participated in our protests in Tokat were cut off. The right To protest is our constitutional right. While the authorities do not interfere with the right to protest those close to their political views, we do not acceptthepressuretheytrytoapplyagainsttheorganizedstruggle of women.

LGBTIQ+ AssembliesAreEstablished: WeAreOpenlyOrganizing in LGBTIQ+ Assemblies for Equality and Freedom

Thismonth, LGBTIQ+ Assemblieswereestablishedandtheirfirstmeetingtookplace. LGBTIQ+ subjectswillmakedecisionsabouttheirlivesand organize openly. Wewillcontinuetofightforequalityandfreedom

Law No. 6284 and It's Results

Regulating many measures such as expulsion, close protection against perpetrators; Law No.6284, which gives women many rights from financial empowerment to changing their identity information, and which came into force as a result of years of struggle of women's organizations, protects women if implemented effectively. Law No.6284, which was introduced to protect women and prevent violence, became possible after the signing of the Istanbul Convention.

In the Ayşe Tuba Arslan case, Yalçın Özalpay, who was sentenced aggravated life imprisonment for "deliberately killing with a monstrous feeling and tormenting", for killing Ayşe by hitting her on the head with a line repeatedly, appealed against the decision. At the first hearing of the case, the prosecutor of appeal demanded a reduction in the sentence, statingthatÖzalpayshould be punished for "deliberate killing under unjust provocation". He said "there is no killing with a monstrous feeling", "unjust provocation reduction".

During the search in the case of 4-year-old Leyla Aydemir, whose lifeless body was found 18 days after her disappearance in Ağrı, it was claimed that one of the AFAD (Disaster And Emergency Management Department) teams heard Leyla's Voice but kept silent because the perpetrator Yusuf Aydemir said, "If they hear, they will kill me".

Tuba Ceran was stabbed to death 46 times in front of her 3 children by the man she was married to, whom she complained about and got a protection order. Bekir Erkol was sentenced to 18 years and 4 months in prison for the crime of 'deliberately killing his wife' by applying the provisions of unjust provocation and good behavior.

In İzmir in 2018, the court which sentenced 72 year-old Mehmet Ali B., the maternal grandmother’s husband of the 6 year-old child who he has sexually assaulted, to 12 years and 6 months in prison in the prosecution of Mehmet Ali B., has decided him to be released by the application of “international travel ban and probation” considering his “age and medical condition”.

Sedat A., who attacked the 18 year young girl walking down the street from her job on her way home in Bursa with a brass knuckle just because he confused her with someone else, was released on probation upon his statement of “My brother was killed. I mistook her with the person who caused my brother’s death, it wasn’t on purpose, forgive me, I am in remorse.”.

5 years ago, YağmurÖnüt had been murdered atrociously by the man he was together with, with a pump rifle. Egemen Vardar, who has claimed to be joking and said it was an accident in the case, had been sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison. The adjudgement was moved to the court of cassation. As a result of its fixations, the court of cassation overturned the decision that the defendant should be sentenced for the crime of “causing death by conscious negligence” because it was against the law to convict the accused of “killing by eventual intent”.

In Antalya, a 24 year old young woman fell from the window of the house which was on the 2nd floor due to the fight which broke out between her and her boyfriend. S. N. G., who was hospitalized, stated that it was her boyfriend who threw her out of the window. A.S.D., who was taken into custody due to “deliberate attempted homicide” accused his girlfriend of stealing his money and alleged that she jumped out of the window herself. Neighbours said despite the young woman not wanting to go inside the apartment, her boyfriend tugged her inside, sounds of fighting and arguing were heard subsequently, the young woman screamed for help out the window and after only a little while, she was seen fallen on her back, on top of a parked car.

All those exemplifications show how vital the full and active implementation of the İstanbul Convention and 6284 is for women. For the active protection of women, injunctions should be implemented, the legal process should be followed, all the units of the government should protect women’s rights and public officials who do not act on their duties should not be left impunitied.

Suspicious femicides must be shedded light on immediately

As we have been making it public on our reports for a while, there’s been a serious increase in the number of the the suspicious femicides and the women who have been found dead suspiciously but presented as suicide or natural death with the continuum of the pandemic. Suspicious women deaths, unfortunately, can be even more difficult than femicides.

It is a must and a necessity to ascertain whether the women were killed or have died on accident, whether they were killed on the basis of gender, whether they committed suicide or have been driven to suicide.

The suspicious deaths of the 20 women in May must be evinced as soon as possible. The thing to do is clear; the termination decision of the İstanbul Convention must be withdrawn, the law no. 6284 and the İstanbul Convention must be implemented actively and holistically within all the governmental and nongovernmental organizations and institutions. Investigations of the suspicious women deaths must be scrutinized carefully and concluded quickly.

Hanife K., who lived in İstanbul, was found dead at her own home. Kemal K., who she was married to, did not mention her death to anybody until her son reported it to the police in the morning.

In Karaman, 26 year-oldSatıLaçin passed away in the hospital while receiving treatment after the gun of TolgaNantu, whom she lived with, went off.

21 year-old Havva Nur Çalışgan was found dead in the hotel she was staying with her friends. It has been reported that M. O. Ş., who she was together with and M. D. who was her friend and has been taken to custody about the incident.

Gurbangozel Chariyeva, 63, who was a babysitter in a house in Istanbul, was found dead in the house where she worked. Itwaslearnedthatshe had bloodynapkins in her roomandbruisesandbloodmarks on her face.

In Adana, 27-year-old Tuğçe Duman was found dead in a vehicle with bullet marks on its windshield, while the body of Tuğçe's aunt, 24-year-old Melek el Şemo, was found 100 meters away. It was learned that Tuğçe had been abducted by Furkan Apaydın before and therefore settled in a shelter.

Tuğçe Mutlu, 27, living in Ankara, was found with a gunshot to the head.

23-year-old P.Ö., living in Ağrı, was found dead after arguing with the man she was married to. It was learned that P.Ö had been subjected to violence by the perpetrator for a long time.

Gurbet Üren, a 40-year-old mother of 7 children, was found dead in her home in Şırnak. It was learned that the perpetrator tortured Gurbet for a long time.

What Happened about Women in May?

In his statement on the 10th anniversary of theIstanbulConvention, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer said, "We will implement the provisions of theIstanbulConvention.".

Süleyman Arslan, President of the Human RightsandEqualityInstitution of Turkey (TİHEK), argued that the marriage of 15-year-olds is a "human right".

Police in Aleyna Çakır case: "Women'sAssembliesare not responsible for this, north Platform, don't put everything on them." made his speech.

As a result of the lawsuits filed against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, the Council of State requested a defense from the Presidency.

A “Violence Monitoring Center” was established in Kütahya to rehabilitate individuals who have been subjected to violence and who show violence.

Stories of the struggle for survival of 17 women killed in May

71-year-old G. G.living in Edirne was killed by H.G., to whom she was married, by cutting her throat.

Semra Çetin, a 48-year-old mother of 2 children living in Mersin, was killed with a cuttingtoolby Ahmet Çetin, towhomshewasmarried.

Zeynep Erdoğan (47-year-old obstetrician, mother of 3 children and living in Ankara) was killed with a cutting tool in front of her child by Mehmet Erdoğan, while the restraining order against him was still valid. She was married to him and had several restraining orders against him. It was learned that the perpetrator, who was caught later, had many criminal records and was released as part of the latest Covid-19 measures.

Emel Demirtaş, 34, living in Niğde, was shot dead by her son A. Demirtaş.

ŞirvanDönmez, a 46-year-old mother of 3 children living in Diyarbakır, was killed with a cutting tool by Şehmuz A., with whom she was living together, on the pretext of jealousy.

Şükriye Alkan, 70, living in Giresun, was killed by her son Turgut Alkan with an ax. Later, it was learned that the perpetrator, who also injured his brother and a policeman with an ax, died when the police shot him.

GülendamGöz, 41, living in Kahramanmaraş, was killed with a firearm by Erdal Bozdere, to whom she used to be married. It was later learned that the perpetrator committed suicide.

Arife Nur Sarıoğlu, a 26-year-old guidance counselor living in Kayseri, was killed with a firearm by Tolga Temur, who tried to force her to have sexual intercourse with him, on the pretext of refusing his offer.

Birgül Çınar, a 40-year-old mother of 3 children living in Balıkesir, was killed with a cutting tool by YıldırayÇınar, to whom she was married.

Sibel Kaman, a 46-year-old mother of 3 children, living in Balıkesir, was killed with a firearm by her former spouse, SezginZilkaya, against whom she had a restraining order because of his threats and harassment.

Aslı Öztürk, a 36-year-old mother of 2 children living in Antalya, was strangled to death by Mesut Öztürk, to whom she was married, and was buried with a digger. It was learned that in his statements, the perpetrator said that he threw her clothes into trash to make it look like she went for a walk and told that he was trying to find her in order not to attract suspicion.

Yudum Mert, 32, mother of two, living in Istanbul and a cleaner in a hospital, was killed with a cutting tool in front of her children by Güntay Mert, whom she was married to, on the pretext that she wanted a new house.

It was found out that NesrişahYorgun, who used to live in Iğdır and was not heard from for 5 years, was killed by Eyüp Yıldızhan, to whom she was married. It was learned that after the perpetrator stabbed Nesrişah to death, he put her in a steel chest and laid tiles on it.

Kamile Yavuz, 33, mother of two children, living in Samsun, was killed by Faruk Yavuz, to whom she was married, with a cutting tool in front of her children. It was learned that the

perpetrator was sentenced to 11 years for the murder he had committed before and was on leave.

Fatma Öz, 44, living in Malatya, was killed with a firearm by her former partner, Bahri Maraşlı, on the pretext of jealousy.

Ceren Ersoy, 11, living in Tekirdağ, was strangled to death by her father, Mustafa Ersoy. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident.

Sevgil Fidan, living in Diyarbakır, was beaten by her brother and unidentified people, and taken to the hospital. Sevgil was released from the hospital without treatment and lost her life.