Femicide in Turkey

Three women fell victim to femicide in a single night — two in Istanbul and one in Ankara— each killed by their husbands, underscoring the ongoing struggle to address this pervasive issue.

In Istanbul's Küçükçekmece district, 23-year-old Öznur Akkaya was stabbed in the street by her husband after she announced her intention to divorce.

Cities across Türkiye witnessed a large number of events and marches marking International Women's Day on March 8, with the country honoring strong women achieving numerous successes in various fields, while also seeking ways to address the escalating issue of femicide.

In the last 13 days 12 women have been killed in Türkiye as women's rights defenders cry out against the lack of preventative policies.

Some of these women, who were killed by their husbands or ex-husbands despite the restraining orders, were taken away from life with their child or mother.

Women protest in Istanbul against Turkey's decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, March 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

With the femicide problem in the country aggravating and people taking to social media expressing their deep concerns, a new femicide case of a nurse who got shot by a man who stormed into a family health care center in Istanbul has triggered a nationwide wave of anger.