‘Femicides are political’: Protests across Turkey after murders of two 19-year-old women

The killing of two 19-year-old women by a man of the same age on Oct 4 has sparked protests across Turkey. The perpetrator, identified as Semih Çelik, killed İkbal Uzuner, whom he had reportedly stalked for years, and Ayşenur Çelik, both his schoolmates.

According to reports, Çelik murdered Ayşenur in his home by slashing her throat, then proceeded to kill İkbal at the historic city walls in Edirnekapı neighborhood in the Fatih district, where he decapitated her. He killed himself after the murders. Funerals for the two women were held on Oct 5.

The protests also highlighted another incident that caused outrage, where two men openly harassed a woman in the Beyoğlu district, a tourist spot district known for its vibrant nightlife, according to footage began circulating on social media on Oct 4.

Although the men were initially released after being detained by police, following reactions on social media, they were detained again and subsequently arrested by a court.

Over the weekend, women’s rights groups organized demonstrations across the country, blaming the government’s “impunity policies” for male violence. Protesters are calling for Turkey to rejoin the İstanbul Convention, a Council of Europe treaty aimed at preventing violence against women, which the country withdrew from in 2021.

Additionally, they demand the effective enforcement of Law 6284, which is based on the convention but has been subject to criticism for poor implementation, especially after the withdrawal.

‘Impunity emboldens perpetrators’

In İstanbul, hundreds of women gathered in Tünel Square on İstiklal Avenue, a central location in Beyoğlu. The crowd included pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party MPs Özgül Saki and Kezban Konukçu.

The protesters chanted slogans including “Stop the murderers, not women,” “Femicides are political,” “The state protects, men kill,” “Justice is us, we will not be silent,” and “Where is the state, women are here.”

The police initially blocked the group from marching down the avenue. However, after persistent attempts, they allowed them to proceed as far as Şişhane Square, where the women made a public statement

In the statement, protesters condemned the state’s failure to protect women and criticized the leniency shown to harassers and murderers. Activists emphasized that women in Turkey often turn to social media for justice, as the authorities are seen as encouraging violence with their impunity policies.

“The men who assaulted and harassed a woman in Beyoğlu were released despite their criminal records, only to be re-arrested after public outrage. The state, through its judiciary and law enforcement, does not act on women’s testimonies but rather on social media reactions. Women subjected to violence are forced to seek refuge in social media, not in police stations,” the statement read.

“We know you are trying to make the streets unsafe for women. With remarks like ‘What was she doing out at that hour?’ and policies promoting a ‘strong family unit,’ you are trying to confine us to our homes. Your sexist language, dictating how many children women should have or what time they should be on the streets, emboldens male violence. You want to turn women into compliant members of an oppressive, exploitative family system. We reject this,” the statement continued.

Protesters also rejected attempts to dismiss male violence with excuses like alcoholism or drug abuse, emphasizing that the root cause is patriarchy and that the perpetrators are men. They warned that trying to divert attention by focusing on the race or refugee status of the attackers would not solve the problem of violence against women, as men from all backgrounds commit such acts.

“We are facing a government that emboldens perpetrators by withdrawing from the İstanbul Convention, weakening the hard-won gains of women’s rights, and releasing violent men from police stations and courthouses,” the statement concluded.

‘Everywhere is a crime scene’

Demonstrations were held across various provinces over the weekend. In the Kurdish-populated city of Diyarbakır, women’s groups and politicians gathered, including prominent Kurdish politician Gültan Kışanak and Van Co-Mayor Neslihan Şedal.

“We will continue to  fight for every woman taken from life by violence,” Şedal remarked.

Suzan İşbilen, head of the Rosa Women’s Association, noted that femicides have increased under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). She called the recent murders not just individual acts but political crimes rooted in patriarchal norms that seek to control women.

In Şırnak, another Kurdish-populated city, a group of women gathered, displaying a banner that read “Everywhere is a crime scene.” DEM deputy Nevroz Uysal-Aslan representing Şırnak also attended the meeting.

“We know that we can create an equal, free, nonviolent and non-exploitative life where we are not murdered on the streets, abused in dormitories, exploited in workplaces and families. We will grow our struggle until we build a free life for each and every one of us,” the group said in a statement.

‘We will end impunity’

In Eskişehir, women gathered at the Ulus Monument, chanting slogans against impunity, and carrying banners that read, “We will end impunity. We will stop harassment and murder.”

In a statement, protestors condemned the authorities’ failure to act despite the victim, İkbal Uzuner, having repeatedly filed complaints against the killer, Semih Çelik, before she was murdered.

“Women no longer want to see your condolences. They want to see action while they are still alive,” protesters said, calling for the effective enforcement of Law 6284 and Turkey’s return to the İstanbul Convention.

‘We want real justice, not male justice’

In İzmir, women gathered at Aliağa Democracy Square, chanting, “Femicides are political,” “We want real justice, not male justice,” and “We will not be silent, we will not obey.” Deniz Gültekin, reading a statement on behalf of the group, expressed outrage at the increasing violence against women and the lack of legal enforcement. “We are not in mourning, we are in revolt,” she said, criticizing the government for releasing murderers and pedophiles back into society through amnesty laws.

In Bolu, the Women’s Platform held a protest in Kardelen Square, with Pınar Altun Akkuş of the Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen) highlighting the collective grief and anger that women feel, as they live in constant fear of becoming the next victim.

She criticized the government for rejecting proposals in parliament that could have helped prevent further violence, vowing that women would continue to fight for their right to live freely and safely. (EMK/VK)