Protests erupted across Turkey after the brutal murders of İkbal Uzuner and Ayşegül Halil by Semih Çelik, as activists responded to the escalating femicide crisis with the urgent call: “No more violence, no more injustice.” Demonstrations spread across major cities, including Şanlıurfa (Riha), Van (Wan), Denizli, and Diyarbakır (Amed), where protesters highlighted the grim reality of 261 women murdered in the first eight months of 2024. The rising death toll has intensified calls for systemic change.
Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, delivered a powerful speech in parliament on Tuesday, stating, “We can no longer tolerate the murder of even one woman.” She noted that in September alone, 34 women were killed, pointing to the justice system’s failures and the government’s withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention, which once offered critical protections for women.
In Şanlıurfa, members of the Urfa Women’s Platform gathered to mourn Uzuner and Halil, carrying signs that read, “The İstanbul Convention saves lives; we will not relinquish our rights.” Protesters chanted, “Our murdered sisters are our rebellion,” demanding an end to the culture of impunity surrounding male violence.
Mizgin Kurtoğlu, from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), accused the government of fostering a culture of violence through inaction, stating, “Every woman murdered demands accountability, and we will fight for a world where femicide is no longer tolerated.”
In Van, hundreds marched to demand justice for missing university student Rojin Kabaiş. Protesters carried banners declaring, “Femicide is political,” calling for accountability. Funda Demir Bozkurt, co-chair of Eğitim-Sen’s Van branch, added, “Each murder is a reflection of a systematic assault against women. The lack of action in the search for Rojin only deepens our concerns.”
In Denizli, protesters gathered at Candoğan Park, where Ebru Koç reported that ten women were murdered in just one week. “We are determined to stop this oppressive regime that seeks to silence us,” Koç declared, underscoring the urgency of the women’s rights movement in Turkey.
In Diyarbakır, participants marched from Şêx Sêîd Square to the site where Bedriye Işık was murdered by her husband. Rosa Women’s Association President Suzan İşbilen linked the increase in femicides to state policies that perpetuate male violence, stating, “These murders are part of a broader system that incites aggression against women.”
As protests spread across the country, women reaffirmed their commitment to ending femicide and holding the government accountable. “We will continue to shout until our voices are heard,” declared one demonstrator, emphasising that femicide is a deeply political issue.
