32 Femicides and 13 Suspicious Deaths of Women in April 

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. 

The reason behind 18 femicides could not be determined 

This month, 32 femicides were committed, and 13 women were found suspiciously dead. 10 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, 1 woman was killed on the pretext of her mother not reconciling with her father, 1 woman was killed on the pretext of feeding a cat, 1 young girl was killed on the pretext of throwing stones and 1 woman was killed on economic pretexts. The reason behind 18 of the 32 femicides could not be determined. The inability to determine the excuse behind the murder of 18 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 April, by city: 

By whom were the women killed? 

Of the 32 women killed in April, 19 were killed by the man they were married to, 5 by the man they were with, 3 by a relative, 2 by an acquaintance, 1 by her father, 1 by her brother and 1 by her son. This month,59*% of the women who were killed were killed by the man they were married to. 

Women were mostly killed in their homes 

18 of the women were killed at their homes, 4 in the middle of the street, 2 in a public place, 1 in a car, 1 in a field, 1 in a deserted place, 1 in a hotel and 1 in a barn. 56% of the women killed this month were killed in their homes. 

Women were mostly killed with firearms 

18 of the women killed this month were killed with firearms, 11 with sharp objects, 2 by being beaten to death and 1 by strangulation. 56% of the women killed this month were killed with firearms. 

Long live May 1st, Long live Women! 

This May 1st, we were in Saraçhane in Istanbul to enter Taksim, and in the squares in 8 provinces! We said, “We will not be the cheap labor force of bosses or the slaves of the family”. Women continue to be exploited in their working life. They are forced to work for lower wages and in precarious jobs. Their domestic labor is devalued, and they become unpaid workers and slaves of the family. According to the data released by TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute), the number of women who are not included in the labor force due to their domestic labor is 8 million 60 thousand, and the number of women not included in the labor force was 21 million 20 thousand in the 4th quarter of 2023 (October-November-December). We know that 38 of the women killed since May 1st, 2023, were working. Women face danger to their lives at every moment. At work bosses, and at home men exert pressure on women. Women struggle for both their labor and life. Our struggle for equality at home, at work and in wages continues. Women’s Assemblies are resisting bosses, patriarchy and capitalism! 

Out of the 32 women killed this month, ten were killed by the men they were in the process of divorce. The government’s statements sanctifying the family at every opportunity and the fact that women are threatened and subjected to violence because they want a divorce fuels femicides. It encourages the perpetrators. We will not be cheap labor for bosses and slaves of the family! 

Children Will Not Live with Hunger, Abuse, Violence, and War 

Children are also being exploited as cheap labor in the market. Every year on April 23rd, National Children’s Day in Turkey, the political power pretends to care for children. Yet, in this country, children are killed and abused, and their labor is exploited. They are trying to grow up with unqualified education, inadequate health and nutrition and deepening poverty. Even though it is forbidden for children to work in poor conditions, child labor is widespread at the hands of the Ministry of National Education. According to TÜİK, child labor over the age of 15 increased by 3.5% compared to last year. As children become cheap labor for the market, they lose their education, health, and even their lives. The exploitation of child labor is increasing year by year. The only one to blame for this is the state that condemns its people to poverty, does not enforce the laws, and sides with the bosses. 

According to our data, 11 girls (under the age of 18) were murdered in the last year. The deaths of many children like Rabia Naz remain suspicious. Our struggle will continue for children, women and all oppressed people. Don’t be afraid; there are Women’s Assemblies! 

Case Developments of April 

The case of Ece Kılıçaslan, who died after falling from the balcony of her house, was opened after two years as a result of our struggle. The suspect will be tried for ‘intentional murder of a spouse’. 

Mustafa E., who sexually abused M. Ş. from the age of 6 to 11, was sentenced to 10 years and 5 months in prison with a ‘good behaviour’ discount. The case was taken appealed to the Supreme Court. 

In Konya, high school student G. A. was tricked by the school principals and sexually abused by Ahmet Mandal. The perpetrator Ahmet Mandal had also sexually assaulted another student named K. K. The court sentenced Ahmet Mandal to 20 years for ‘sexual abuse of a child’ for G. A. and 2 years for ‘sexual assault by groping’ for K. K. In addition, the principals Harun Avcu and Asuman Sahar Koleri were sentenced to 8 years and 4 months for ‘aiding sexual abuse of a child’. 

In Adana, Fadime Korkusuz was burned to death by Muhammet Güleç, the man she had divorced. He was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment without any discount. 

In Şırnak, specialised sergeant Z. Ç., who sexually assaulted a woman walking on the road and was beaten by bystanders, was arrested for sexual assault after his medical treatment. 

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 Van, 20-year-old M. B. was found dead in her brother’s house. 

In Antalya, 52-year-old Fatma D., who was undergoing cancer treatment, was found shot dead with a rifle in the vineyard house where she lived. 

In Isparta, 29-year-old S. D., mother of 4, was found dead in a shed belonging to the village water tank. 

What happened regarding women in April? 

In Sydney, Joel Cauchi killed 6 people, including 5 women, in a shopping mall. The perpetrator especially targeted women. 

Yağmur Tektaş was found dead in the house where she was staying in America. It was learned that she was killed by F. C., the man she was with. The perpetrator changed the profile picture of Yağmur’s social media account after killing her. 

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality announced that free sanitary pads will be provided once a month. Women can get their pads free of charge from the municipality’s Women’s Solidarity Center. 

In 2020, Nurtaç Canan was injured by Ragıp Canan, the man she was married to. Nurtaç has been the target of threatening and insulting messages from him, whom she has not been able to divorce for 4 years. Ragıp Canan, who was placed in electronic handcuffs due to these messages, broke the handcuffs and continued to send them. 

The stories of the life struggles of the 32 women killed in April 

In Diyarbakır, 34-year-old Sevda Meşe was shot to death with a firearm by Adem Meşe, the man she was in the process of divorce, 1 hour after her consensual divorce. 

In İzmir, 6-year-old Tuğçe A. was shot to death with a firearm by Umut A., her father. It was learned that the perpetrator opened fire on his two daughters and then attempted suicide on the pretext that Elif A., who had divorced him, refused to reconcile. 

In Mersin, 61-year-old Selma Çiftçi was killed by her throat being cut and shot with a firearm by Murat A, her son and her companion in the hospital where she was receiving treatment. 

In Mersin, 20-year-old Besra Kırmızı, who was 2.5 months pregnant, was shot to death with a firearm by Umut Başıbaş and Yasin Başıbaş, her older brothers, on the pretext that they were against her marriage. 

In Karabük, 58-year-old Gülseren Yıldırım was shot to death with a firearm by Erol A., her neighbor, on the pretext of her feeding the cats. 

In Samsun, 43-year-old Yıldız Yılmaz was shot to death with a firearm by İsmail Yılmaz, the man she was married to and was trying to divorce. The perpetrator was sent to prison. 

In Çankırı, 31-year-old Semanur Çakır was shot to death with a firearm by İsmail Çakır, the man she was in the process of divorce. The perpetrator was caught. 

In Edirne, 22-year-old Petek Aksak was shot to death with a firearm by Berşan Aksak, the man she was in the process of divorce. The perpetrator, who had five different criminal records, was arrested. 

In Ağrı, Esma Işık was stabbed to death by Savaş Işık, the man she was married to. Esma Işık’s mother was also stabbed. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Ankara, Yonca Kazan Coşkun was first sexually assaulted and then stabbed to death by Kerim Coşkun, the man she was in the process of divorce. Her restraining order against the perpetrator had just expired. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Antalya, 38-year-old Nursel Yılmaz, mother of three, was shot to death with a firearm by Fatih Yılmaz, the man she was married to. Nursel had wanted to separate but had withdrawn her divorce petition the day before her murder. The perpetrator committed suicide. 

In Antalya, 68-year-old Türkan Abay was stabbed to death by Abdüsselam Abay, the man she was married to. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Balıkesir, 32-year-old Kübra Kanat was shot to death with a firearm by Mehmet Kanat, the man she was married to. The perpetrator, who was a police officer, also injured Kübra’s cousin. The perpetrator attempted suicide after the incident. 

In Istanbul, 24-year-old Asya Can was killed by Bahattin Can, the man she was married to. It was revealed that the perpetrator had a total of 25 criminal records, including ‘sexual intercourse with a minor’, ‘violence against a woman’ and ‘intentional injury’. The perpetrator had also been posting death threats on his social media accounts. The perpetrator attempted suicide after the incident. 

In Tekirdağ, 32-year-old Buse Ateş Suna was beaten by Enes Suna, the man she was married to, and fell into a coma. Buse passed away after two months. 

In Kahramanmaraş, 34-year-old Emine Boynueğri, mother of two, was shot to death with a firearm by Mert Boynueğri, the man she was married to. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Konya, 84-year-old Sahure Dudu Bahçeci was beaten to death by Talha Çorum, her grandson. The perpetrator also battered his aunt. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Bolu, 35-year-old Meltem Zengin, mother of two, was stabbed to death by Serkan Zengin, the man she was married to. The perpetrator also killed Meltem’s father and injured her mother. The perpetrator was arrested. 

In Diyarbakır, Rozerin Yıldız passed away after she was shot and seriously injured two years ago by Özcan Yıldız, the man she was in the process of divorce. Rozerin had stayed in the women’s shelter twice before and had been systematically subjected to violence many times. In the hearings held before Rozerin’s death, the prosecutor had asked for an ‘unjust provocation’ discount for the perpetrator on the grounds that ‘the action had remained in the attempted phase’. 

In Istanbul, 35-year-old Emine Derviş, mother of two, was strangled to death with a scarf by Heysem H., the nephew of the man she was married to. It was learned that the perpetrator stole Emine’s jewellery. 

In Kahramanmaraş, 4-year-old Sultan Akgül was killed by her throat being cut by 14-year-old A. A., her cousin, on the pretext that she threw a stone at him. Sultan’s body was found in a barn. 

In Kırıkkale, 42-year-old F. C. was stabbed in the throat by the man she was with, while they were having an argument in the car. After 20 days of treatment in the hospital, F. C. lost her life. 

In Muğla, 35-year-old İlknur Çetin, who worked at a hotel, was stabbed to death by Ali İhsan Kaya, the man she was with, on the pretext of jealousy. 

In Istanbul, 35-year-old esthetician Selin Yalın was shot to death with a firearm by Ömer Öktem, the man she was with. The perpetrator called Selin’s relative and said that Selin had committed suicide but later confessed to the murder at the police station. 

In Istanbul, 31-year-old N. A. was shot to death with a firearm by Ö. A., her uncle. 

In Manisa, 23-year-old Buse Demirkıran, mother of two, was shot to death with a rifle by Hamza Demirkıran, the man she was married to. The perpetrator committed suicide with the same gun. 

In Aydın, 30-year-old A. K. moved in with her family and started to work after filing for divorce against E. K., the man she was married to. She was stabbed in the heart by E. K. on her way home from work. 

In Samsun, 44-year-old Gülcan Güneş, mother of one, was shot to death with a firearm by Ertuğrul Temiz, the man she was with. In his statement, the perpetrator said that he saw the bruises on Gülcan’s body and killed her on the pretext that he thought she had cheated on him. 

In Kahramanmaraş, 57-year-old Nazlı Tepedir was stabbed to death by Mehmet Tepedir, the man she was married to. 

In Istanbul, Hivda Temel was stabbed to death in her apartment by Mehmet Temel, the man she was in the process of divorce. 

In Adıyaman, 25-year-old Esra Yıldız, mother of two, was stabbed in the throat and chest by Ali Yıldız, the man she was married to, in the hotel they went to together. 

In Manisa, 27-year-old Gözde Yılmaz, mother of two, was shot to death with a firearm and then thrown into a well by S. Y., the man 

*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”