2024 February Report* 

36 Femicides and 17 Suspicious Deaths of Women in February 

The fight to stop femicides in Turkey has been going on for 14 years. As the Platform, since we identified the need in 2010, we have been disclosing femicide data to the public. Instead of explaining how many women have been killed, why, how and by whom, the Ministry of Interior distorts the facts by saying that the data on femicides are incorrectly prepared. It is the duty of the state not only to disclose the reality of femicides and suspicious deaths of women but also to implement concrete solutions to stop femicides. We will continue to fight for the mobilization of all relevant ministries and mechanisms to fulfil this duty. 

17 women were killed on the pretext of wanting to make decisions about their life 

This month, 36 femicides were committed, and 17 women were found suspiciously dead. 17 women were killed on the pretext of wanting to make decisions about their own life, such as wanting a divorce, refusing to reconcile, refusing to marry, or rejecting a relationship, 2 women were killed on economic pretexts, 2 women on the pretext that they supported their daughter and sibling’s decision, 1 woman on the pretext that the perpetrator thought she came in between him and the woman he was married to, 1 woman on the pretext that she didn’t give the perpetrator money for drugs and 1 woman on the pretext that she had gone down a ‘bad path’. The reason behind 12 femicides could not be determined.  The inability to determine the excuse behind the murder of 12 women is the result of violence against women and femicides being rendered invisible. Unless it is determined by whom and why women were killed, unless a fair trial is conducted and the suspects, defendants and murderers are given deterrent punishments and unless preventive measures are implemented, violence continues to increase in size. 

We would like to share the names of the women, each of whom was a life: 

Femicide data in the month of February, by city: 

By whom were the women killed? 

Of the 36 women killed in February, 10 were killed by the man they were married to, 7 by the man they used to be married to, 7 by the man they were with, 4 by their father, 3 by their son, 2 by an acquaintance and 1 by a stranger. The relation of the perpetrator could not be determined for 2 women. This month, 28% of the women who were killed were killed by the man they were married to. 

Women were mostly killed in their homes 

17 of the women were killed at their homes, 11 in the middle of the street, 2 in a car, 2 in a hotel, 1 in a field, 1 in a deserted place, 1 at their workplace and 1 in a public housing. 47% of the women killed this month were killed in their homes. 

Women were mostly killed with firearms 

25 of the women killed this month were killed with firearms, 9 with sharp objects and 2 by strangulation. 69% of the women killed this month were killed with firearms. 

We will Build Free Cities, Streets, and Lives 
Since March 8th 2023, attacks and rights violations against women and LGBTIQ+ people have reached one of their peak levels. Reactionary discourses against secularism have increased, and attacks on women’s equal citizenship rights increased day by day. Lawyer Feyza Altun, who is facing an investigation and wanted imprisonment for up to 3 years for her anti-sharia post on social media, was released under judicial control. This is how the judiciary system, which until last month was merely watching as reactionaries shouted for Sharia in the courthouse and bigoted sects made speeches to normalize forced marriages of children, attacks those who defend secular life. 

As we enter another election period, the equal citizenship rights of women and LGBTIQ+ people are being attacked and turned into election material. Although we make up half of the society, the political representation rate of women remains low in these elections. While municipalities compete to get women home on ‘pink buses’, women are being subjected to violence and killed in buses. This month, Reyhan Demirtaş was battered by Muharrem B. in Kadıköy, Istanbul, on the pretext that she asked for a seat on the bus. In February, 8 women were murdered in 2 days. This is not a coincidence; it is the work of the government that turns a blind eye to the increase in femicides, threatens women, and targets Protection Law No. 6284 and the Civil Code. Our struggle against all attacks continues. We will build the cities where we will live freely and safely. 

On March 3rd, we are waiting for women and LGBTIQ+ people in Kadıköy. Together, our voices will be louder. Together, we will build free and safe cities. Long live March 8th, Long Live Women!? 

Impunity Policy in Every Field 

The policy of impunity in Turkey has come to cover a wide range of fields, from femicides to animal rights violations and neglect of building safety. In the case of Ayşenur Çolakoğlu, who was shot to death at her workplace with a firearm by Hasan Fakıoğlu, the man she used to be with, we saw that the perpetrator was given a ‘good behavior’ discount. We saw that a cat was kicked to death for 6 minutes, and the perpetrator was given a ‘good behavior’ discount. What have we not seen? One year after the earthquake, we have not seen those responsible punished. Non-prosecution decisions are being given in the lawsuits filed against contractors and construction companies. More than half of the cities are still in ruins, and none of the promises made have been kept. People in some cities in the region, like Hatay, are being threatened with, “If you don’t vote for us, there will be no aid”. Homelessness is still one of the biggest problems in the region. There are still a lot of people missing. When an investigation into the children who went missing in the earthquake was proposed in the parliament, it was rejected with the votes of the political power, AKP and MHP. Those responsible are not being punished. Impunity and lawlessness continue. 

Murat Kurum, an Istanbul mayoral candidate and the former minister of Environment and Urbanization, announced that nearly 9 million people benefited from the zoning amnesty issued in 2018 during his ministry. It was revealed that 294 thousand illegal buildings were in the 10 provinces affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. While the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) had announced that 50 thousand people died in the earthquake, Murat Kurum, the minister during the time, now reports the number as 130 thousand. In İliç, Erzincan, where 9 workers were buried under cyanide soil, it was revealed that it was Murat Kurum, the minister at the time, who gave the Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) report for the capacity increase of the mine. This person wants to be the mayor of Istanbul, a city at risk of earthquakes and the center of unplanned urbanization and rentier capitalism. 

All these unlawful acts also lead to an increase in femicides. As lawlessness and violence increase in society, women are among the first to be affected. 

Highlights from this month’s data: 

Firearms are the weapons mostly used in femicides, and most of these are without a license and obtained illegally. The increase in individual armament and the ease of getting unlicensed and illegal weapons increase femicides. Our data shows that 25 of the 36 femicides committed this month were committed with firearms. This situation shows the inadequacy of the state’s policies on violence prevention and gun control. The fact that guns are so easily accessible forces women to live in constant danger. It is an indication of a severe lack of political will and adequate measures to protect women’s lives. An effective fight against femicide is also possible through comprehensive policies of gun control. Unable to protect women, the state also fails to prevent perpetrators from acquiring weapons so easily. 

In the 36 femicides this month, 17 women were killed on the pretext of making decisions about their lives. Among these, 6 women were killed on the pretext of jealousy, 4 women were killed on the pretext that they refused to reconcile, 5 women were killed on the pretext of wanting a divorce, 1 woman was killed on the pretext that she refused to have a relationship with the perpetrator, and 1 woman was killed on the pretext that she wanted to get married. This points to the existence of patriarchy that does not accept women’s sovereignty over their own lives. These are not just numbers; they are women fighting to live their lives freely. Our struggle against those who want to confine women within four walls will always continue. 

Case Developments of February 

In the case of Ayşenur Çolakoğlu, who was murdered with a firearm in 2022 by Hasan Fakıoğlu, the man she used to be with, his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment with a ‘good behavior’ discount.  

In 2019, Öznur Gülbaş was stabbed 16 times in Eskişehir. Although Öznur had managed to escape from the defendant herself, the Court of Appeal reduced the defendant’s sentence to 7 years on the grounds of ‘voluntary renunciation’. The perpetrator was released for “good behavior”. 

In the case of Sara Ali Shareef, whose body was found half-naked in Kocaeli in 2022, aggravated life imprisonment was demanded for the perpetrator. The hearing was postponed to a later date. 

The trial of Gencay Korur, who shot and killed Ayşe Korur in Çanakkale in 2022 while they were in the process of divorce and then made a post with the caption “Feeling proud”, was held. It was learned that the defendant, who made a defense claiming he killed Ayşe because she was cheating on him, sent a text to his own girlfriend after killing Ayşe. The trial was adjourned to March 12th. 

Suspicious deaths of women should be revealed immediately 

As we have been stating in our reports for a while, there is a very serious increase in the number of suspicious deaths of women presented as suicides or natural deaths and in the number of women who were found suspiciously dead during the pandemic. Unfortunately, shedding light on the suspicious deaths of women can be even more difficult than femicides. It is necessary to reveal whether women were killed, whether they were killed by accident, whether women were killed on the basis of gender (whether it was femicide), whether they committed suicide or whether they were driven to suicide. 

In Batman, 26-year-old Rojvelat Kızmaz, who had been missing for 4 days, was found dead in a dam reservoir. Rojvelat was also a close friend of Gülistan Doku, who has been missing since January 5th 2020. 

In Diyarbakır, 26-year-old Amine Sevinç was found dead in a pond near the cemetery where she went to visit her grandfather. 

In Kayseri, Tülay T. died after falling from the 6th floor of her apartment building. 

In Sakarya, 56-year-old Leyla Demir, who had been missing for 16 days, was found dead by the river. It was learned that Leyla Demir had previously called 112 and asked for help, saying that her husband had beaten her and was going to kill her. S. D., the man Leyla was married to, and U. D., her son, were detained. 

What happened regarding women in February? 

Deniz Özarslan had killed Ezgi Zerkin in Izmir in 2022 and had been missing for 545 days. His bones were found by a person collecting scrap metals in an empty field. 

The Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey issued a 90 thousand TL fine, on the grounds of violation of the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender, to a hotel that cancelled the reservation of two men who wanted to stay in the same room. 

Our January 2024 Application and Referral Report was released. In January, 46 people applied to our hotline. Women who faced various violations of their rights in the public institutions they had applied to after being subjected to violence constituted a significant portion of the calls made. 

According to a study by the Austrian government, there were 319 femicides in the country between 2010 and 2020. Austria’s autonomous association of women’s shelters reported 26 femicides in 2023. 

The stories of the life struggles of the 36 women killed in February 

In Aydın, 59-year-old Semra Kocaman was stabbed to death by Nuri Bozkurt, the man her daughter was with. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Sakarya, 30-year-old Sevda Timur was shot dead by Ümit Demirtaş, the man she was with. The perpetrator said he killed Sevda on the pretext that she continued working against his wishes. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Istanbul, English teacher Katie Erorbay was shot dead by taxi driver Mustafa Gülter, the man who had harassed her many times before. The perpetrator attempted suicide after the incident. 

In Artvin, 38-year-old Hacer Turhan, mother of two, was shot dead with a firearm by Ender Turhan, the man she was in the process of divorce. The perpetrator attempted suicide after the incident. 

In Istanbul, 40-year-old Zeynep Bilici Pehlivan, mother of four, was shot dead with a firearm by Nazmi Bilici, the man she was married to. It was learned that the perpetrator had been subjecting Zeynep to violence for years and that she previously sought refuge in her parent’s house but was pressured by her family and forcibly reconciled with the perpetrator. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Samsun, 31-year-old Muradiye Terzi was shot dead with a firearm by Murat Demir, the man she was allegedly with. The perpetrator was caught.  

In Bartın, 52-year-old Hatice Alay was first subjected to violence and then shot to death with a shotgun by Umut Can Alay, her son. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Burdur, 28-year-old Özlem Şımarık, mother of two, was stabbed and shot to death with a shotgun by Tarık Yılmaz, the man she used to be married. It was learned that the perpetrator was in prison for ‘deliberate injury’ and was released on leave. The perpetrator and six other people who helped him were arrested. 

In Elazığ, 32-year-old Burcu Demir was shot to death with a firearm in the garden of the hospital where she worked by Murat Coşan, the man she was married to. The perpetrator was taken into custody.  

In Adana, 18-year-old İpek Akgün was shot to death and was buried by Yaşar B., the man she was with. The perpetrator confessed to the murder and was arrested. 

In Diyarbakır, 25-year-old Dilan Kanak was shot dead with a firearm by Veysi Çiçek, the man she was with. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Hatay, Selma Abacı, mother of 2 and 7 months pregnant, was shot to death with a firearm by Turgay Kaya, the man she was with. The perpetrator also killed 2 of her children, whom he allegedly fathered. 

In Gaziantep, 50-year-old Gülhan Korkmaz was shot dead with a firearm by Cemal Yıldız, the man she was with, on the pretext that she wanted the title deed of an estate. The perpetrator was shot to death with the same weapon by Gülhan’s 26-year-old son Kazım Akkurt. 

In Istanbul, 74-year-old Sabahat G. was stabbed to death by Türker G., her son. 

In Düzce, 38-year-old Arzu Gül was first battered and then shot to death with a firearm by Emin Gül, the man she was in the process of divorce, on the pretext that she refused his offer to reconcile. 

In Ankara, Ü. K. was stabbed to death by D. K. on the pretext of jealousy. 

In Edirne, police officer Sevda Kuş, mother of one, was shot to death with a firearm by Ali Y., the man she used to be married. 

In Istanbul, 32-year-old Beste Ayşegül Yeşilyurt was murdered by her throat being cut with broken glass by Erkan M., the man she used to be married. 

In Çanakkale, Saliha Gizem, mother of two, was strangled to death with a rope by Fırat Yıldızhan, the man she was in the process of divorce. The perpetrator then buried Saliha’s body in an excavation area. 

In Samsun, 27-year-old Eda Yiğit was stabbed to death by Güven A., the man her friend was married to. It was learned that the perpetrator stabbed Eda on the pretext that he blamed her for his separation from his wife. 

In Şanlıurfa, Suna Gül, mother of two, was shot dead with a firearm by Kenan Şamlıoğlu, the man she used to be with. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Antalya, 40-year-old Banu Uzun, mother of two, was shot dead with a firearm by E. A., the man she had divorced two years ago. 

In Istanbul, 38-year-old Dilek Y. was shot in the head by 24-year-old Özkan Y., her stepson. 

In Şanlıurfa, 28-year-old midwife Pınar Bulunmaz was shot dead with a firearm by Rıdvan Bulunmaz, the man she was married. 

In Istanbul, 49-year-old Yasemin Ünlü and her daughters 31-year-old Zeliha Güney and 30-year-old Mine Güney were shot dead with a firearm by Suat Güney, the man Yasemin was in an unofficial religious matrimony. The perpetrator murdered them on the pretext that Zeliha wanted to get married, and Yasemin and Mine supported her. 

In Bursa, 41-year-old Tuba Ateş, mother of two, was shot dead with a firearm in the garden of the housing complex she lived in by Murat Demir, the man she used to be married, on the pretext of jealousy and that she refused to reconcile. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Erzurum, 32-year-old Elif Saydam, mother of four, was shot with a firearm on February 19th by Şafak Saydam, the man she was married to and who had escaped from prison, on the pretext that she refused to reconcile. Elif lost her life after her week-long struggle for life. 

In Istanbul, 35-year-old Sevilay Karlı, mother of three and who worked as a personal assistant in a private hospital, was stabbed to death by Ümit Karlı, the man she used to be with, on the pretext of jealousy. It was learned that last month, Sevilay had gotten a 4-month restraining order against the perpetrator. 

In Sakarya, 29-year-old Hatun Ekrem Aslan was shot dead with a firearm by Ali Rıza Aslan, the man she was in the process of divorce. 

In Istanbul, Emine Ülkü Araz was taken hostage and shot dead by Hakan Araz, the man she was married to, on the pretext that she wanted a divorce. It was learned that Emine sent a message to the police saying, “My husband is holding me hostage with a gun”. Emine, who had been subjected to violence and threats from him before, had stayed in a women’s shelter many times. 

In Denizli, 30-year-old Nasim Gol Karimi, mother of two, died after being stabbed in the throat in front of her children by Mohammad Esmail Habibi, the man she was living with, on the pretext of jealousy. 

In Adana, 19-year-old Dilan Özdemir was stabbed to death in the street by her father. 

In İzmir, 43-year-old Özlem Çankaya was stabbed to death after a business meeting by Ahmet Çankaya, the man she was married to and had been separated from for a while, on the pretext that she refused to meet with him. 

In Eskişehir, 9-year-old Cansu Siler was found hanged at home 19 years ago and was thought to have committed suicide. Her father Mehmet Siler was arrested for ‘deliberate murder’ in connection with her death. 

*Our Report: Every month, the news on violence against women in the press includes cases, new incidents and details about the women's movement. We compile the news reflected in the press and the applications that come directly to us, reach a number and prepare our report within this framework. We analyze, compile and evaluate our Femicide Report according to the concept of femicide. In other words, the conceptualization of femicide is; “the killing or forcing into suicide of individuals of the female gender, from embryo to fetus, infant to child, adult to elderly, by a man, simply because of their gender or on the pretext of their actions contrary to the gender stereotypes. and the perception of gender identity. Femicides should not be perceived sorely as murders in which people of the female gender are killed. In these murders committed with hatred, what is attacked is the female identity itself”