We Will Not Allow Our Civil Rights to Be Taken Away! 

The Civil Code is one of the most fundamental guarantees of women's right to equal citizenship. This law, which protects women's rights such as inheritance, divorce, custody and property has been one of the most critical pillars of the struggle for equality. However, today, these rights are being undermined by attacks from the political establishment and its institutions. 

The statement by the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) that “women's inheritance share should be less than men's” is a clear attack on the Civil Code and women's right to equal citizenship. These statements are part of systematic policies aimed at turning women into second-class citizens. 

Again, at the beginning of this month, the Directorate targeted women's lifestyles in its sermon. Wearing short clothes were defined as ‘immodesty’ and ‘contrary to Allah’s command’. It also stated that “those who remain silent in the face of the violation of standards of morality and decency are under great sin”, attempting to control women's clothing choices with religious rhetoric. These statements directly interfere with women's lifestyles and turn women into targets. 

As We Will Stop Femicides Platform, we made a press statement, together with the We Will Not Give Up Our Civil Rights Campaign Group, in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse and filed a criminal complaint against the Directorate. We know that targeting the Civil Code means targeting women's right to life, equality, and freedom. We will not give up our struggle: we will not compromise our civil rights or our right to equal citizenship! 

Attacks on the Civil Code are not limited to statements of the Directorate. The Ministry of Justice is also targeting women's right to equal citizenship. With the mediation practice in Family Law, our rights to property division, custody, and alimony are being left to mediators. Mediation prevents women from getting what they deserve and paves the way for men to impose their demands. Under the false pretext of speedy divorces, women's already difficult divorce processes are being made even more challenging.  

We know that the struggle for equality is possible through the protection of the rights granted to women by the Civil Code. Contrary to what the patriarchal order wants, we will continue to fight for women's rights to equal citizenship. 

Protective Orders and Complaints Remain on Paper, Women Continue to Get Killed 

In August, according to the data available, 4 women were killed despite having filed complaints with the police and prosecutor’s office, and having protective orders. The law enforcement, which is responsible for enforcing these protective orders, is failing to fulfil its duty, resulting in the death of women. 

Saliha Ozan who worked at the Turkish Grand National Assembly, was killed on the pretext of wanting to divorce. In Karabük, Semra Derya was killed by the man she was in the process of divorce, when he was on leave from prison. As long as the institutions responsible for protecting women fail to do their job, men will continue to kill women. In 2025, 12 women were killed despite having official requests for protection. It is not only the perpetrators who are responsible for these deaths, but also the state institutions that failed to fulfil their duties. 

Sexual Violence Increases, Impunity Protects Perpetrators 

Over the past few weeks, women have been making visible the harassment, sexual violence and, most importantly, exposing the perpetrators of these acts, on social media. Every woman who recounts her experience of harassment encourages other women to speak out. These stories are not isolated; women are subjected to inequalities at work, on the street, at home, on social media- everywhere in life. This violence against women has become so integrated into daily life that is has become impossible to keep track of its numbers. We know that alongside women who are able to share their experiences of sexual violence with the public, there are dozens more women whose stories have never been heard and never made it into the media. 

We know that this is not just about the perpetrators; everyone and every policy that protects them, leaves them unpunished, and legitimizes them in society is part of this violence. In Ceyda Yüksel’s case this month, the Supreme Court of Appeals upheld the local court's decision, accepting Ceyda's refusal to engage in sexual intercourse as an ‘unjust provocation’. Institutions responsible for preventing all forms of violence against women and femicides are issuing decisions against women. Women's right to say ‘no’ is being undermined. Perpetrators of violence continue to be put on screens and stages. We will continue to stand with women and everyone subjected to this systematic violence and develop egalitarian policies.  

Case Developments of August 

Yasemin Demir, mother of four, who was forcibly married to a relative at the age of 15, was killed in Diyarbakır 4 years ago. In her case, Rüstem Demir, the man she was married, and two others were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for ‘intentionally killing a woman in concert’. 

The murder case of Çağla Tuğaltay, a high school student who was killed 25 years ago by an unknown perpetrator, has been reopened. Fingerprints and DNA samples found at the scene will be searched in Interpol archives. 

The acquittal verdicts for Ahmet Bayer, Hakan Sadi, and Volkan Bayer, who were tried in the case concerning Aslı Baş, who died suspiciously after falling from a height in Muğla 15 years ago, were overturned by the Court of Appeals. Following an appeal by Aslı's father Mehmet Baş to the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court stated that it had found deficiencies in the investigation and prosecution stages, and that the verdicts were therefore unlawful.  

The Constitutional Court determined that the investigation into the suspicious death of Rabia Naz Vatan was incomplete and negligent. It ruled that Rabia's family should be paid 350,000 TL in moral damages. 

What happened regarding women in August? 

An investigation was opened by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office after unusual data changes were detected in university student information systems. It was determined that individuals who had not graduated were shown as graduates, some students' grade point averages had risen abnormally, and diploma information had been reflected on e-Devlet. The investigation launched based on these findings points to an organized structure beyond individual irregularities. 

An investigation was launched against a doctor at Konya Meram State Hospital after a video went viral on social media where he said, “I don't examine exhibitionists” to a woman patient wearing a crop-top. 

With the direction of the Minister of Education Yusuf Tekin, 8 ‘only girls’ middle schools were opened. 

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 Mardin, two sisters 60-year-old Leyla Işıktaş and 65-year-old Muatter Işıktaş, were found dead in their house. 

In Düzce, Hilal Tahmaz Kaba was found dead hanging in her house. It was learned that Hilal was in the process of divorce. 

In Mardin, 12-year-old Zeynep Sut, allegedly fell to her death from a rocky cliff. However, conflicting statements have been given by the family and bystanders, some sources stating that she was seen wrapped in a blanket in her father's car. 

In Van, Edibe Özel was found dead in her house. It was stated that Edibe was frequently subjected to violence by the man she was married to. 

In Muğla, 43-year-old N. M., mother of two, was found dead in her house with a gunshot wound to the heart. The police officer who she used to be married to and still lived together, was taken into custody. 

In Aydın, 20-year-old Teslime Hanedan was found shot dead with a gun on the side of the road. It was learned that Efe F., the man she was with, initially stated that he found her location using the GPS application on her phone and that she was dead when he arrived, but in his later statement, he said that they went there together and Teslime committed suicide. 

In Mersin, 16-year-old Hiranur Nilgun Aygar was found dead in a car. It was learned that H. Arda Ş., the man she was with, initially stated that Hiranur had committed suicide, but later changed his statement, saying that the gun in his hand had accidentally fired. 

The stories of the life struggles of the 29 women killed in August 

In Adana, 63-year-old Teslime Çetin was beaten to death by her son, on the pretext that she refused to give him money. 

In Antalya, 45-year-old Nida Nazlıer was found dead with her throat slit. It was later revealed that she was killed by A. Ö. E. H. The perpetrator stated that he did not know she was a trans woman, and that an argument broke out after he found out. 

In Trabzon, 28-year-old Sinem Somuncu was shot dead with a firearm by Ali Eren Somuncu, the man she was in the process of divorce. It was learned that Sinem had been subjected to violence by the perpetrator for some time and had gotten a restraining order against him. 

In Denizli, 31-year-old Nazlı Söylemez, mother of two, and her 2-year-old daughter Duru Söylemez were shot dead with a firearm by police officer Coşkun Söylemez. The perpetrator also killed their 7-year-old son before committing suicide. 

In Karabük, Sema Derya, mother of two, was killed by Mehmet Derya, the man she was in the process of divorce. It was learned that the perpetrator, who committed suicide by setting the house on fire, had 15 prior criminal records, including ‘threat’ and ‘simple assault against a woman’, and committed the murder while on leave from prison. 

In Edirne, Didem Örs Alacı, mother of one, was strangled to death by Ömer Gökhan Alacı, the man she was married to, on economic pretexts. The perpetrator also killed their 11-year-old son. 

In Ankara, Saliha Ozan Akkaş, an employee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, was stabbed to death multiple times by Salih Akkaş, the man she was in the process of divorce and against whom she had gotten a restraining order. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Isparta, Fatma Rahmani, mother of three, was beaten to death by Muhammed M.R. 

In Balıkesir, 32-year-old Gonca Avcı, mother of two, was killed by her throat being slit by Mehmet Avcı, the man she was married to. It was learned that once week before the incident, Gonca had gotten a restraining order against the perpetrator. The perpetrator committed suicide. 

In Mardin, Gülten Bakan returned to her family home after the death of her husband. Following an argument between her and her husband's brother, Gülten's brother shot and killed both of them with a firearm. The perpetrator has not been caught. 

In Trabzon, 35-year-old Tuğba Sağlam was shot dead with a firearm by Mustafa Sağlam, the man she was married to. 

In Kayseri, 34-year-old Neşe Karakaya, mother of one, was shot dead with a firearm by Onur Karakaya, the man she was married to. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Mersin, 40-year-old Songül Perçem was shot dead with a firearm by Naim Şen, the man she was with. The perpetrator attempted suicide after the incident. 

In Muğla, 28-year-old Ezgi El was shot dead with a firearm by Berk Köse, the man she was with. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Mersin, 60-year-old Cevahir İnan was killed by H. A. and B. A., who tricked her saying “We will take you to work”. The perpetrators also stole Cevahir’s belongings. The perpetrators were arrested and sent to prison. 

In Şanlıurfa, 27-year-old Kadriye Ejder, mother of one, was shot dead with a firearm by Sinan Ejder, the man she was married to. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Manisa, 16-year-old Hatice Fırtına was stabbed to death by her relative Fatih F. The perpetrator was taken into custody. 

In Istanbul, 33-year-old Nıgına Sattarova was killed with a sharp object by Ümit S., the man she was married to. The perpetrator and his friend Urinboy B. were taken into custody and referred to court. 

In Diyarbakır, 24-year-old Nazlı Demir was shot dead with a firearm by Kemal Demir, the man she was married to. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident. 

In Aydın, 52-year-old Burcu Derin, mother of two, was shot dead with a firearm by police officer Hüseyin Derin, the man she was in the process of divorce, on the pretext that she opposed the sale of their house. The perpetrator was taken into custody. 

In Ağrı, 61-year-old F. K. was shot dead with a firearm by C. K., the man she was married to. The perpetrator was taken into custody. 

In Konya, 28-year-old Najiba İbadi, mother of one, was beaten to death with a stick by Saadatullah İbadi, the man she was married to. 

In Muğla, 43-year-old Kezban Süne was shot dead with a firearm in the middle of the street by Bülent Koca, the man she was with. It was learned that the perpetrator had posted about Kezban on social media before killing her. 

In Antalya, 32-year-old Elif Kılıç, who worked at a bakery, got into an argument with Hasan Fırat, the man