Report: 315 women murdered in 2023

ISTANBUL

A grim report has revealed that 315 women were murdered in 2023 in Türkiye, drawing attention to the persistent issue of femicide in the country.

The report titled, "2023 Femicide and Suspicious Deaths of Women," was prepared by the We Will Stop Femicide Platform women's assemblies.

According to the report, 248 of the cases were recorded as suspicious deaths and 35 percent of the women killed were between the ages of 19 and 35. The report also stated that 28 women were killed despite having a protection order.

Meanwhile, a recent court decision in a femicide case ruled against the application of unjust provocation provisions for the defendant, Hakan Asilkan, in his sentence.

Asilkan requested the provisions on the grounds that the victim, Elif Mihriban Arduç, had cheated on him.

Asilkan and Arduç were living together "without official marriage" since 2006. The couple also ran a restaurant together.

In 2022, Asilkan shot Arduç to death with 14 bullets on the grounds that she was having an affair with the chef of the restaurant. The chef Fatih Ç. confirmed the affair.

The prosecutor's office then filed a lawsuit against Asilkan for intentional murder.

In his defense, Asilkan said "She said words that humiliated me and damaged my manhood. I took out the pistol and shot at Elif in a sudden crisis without knowing what I was doing."

The court sentenced the defendant to aggravated life imprisonment and did not apply provisions on good behavior and unjust provocation.

In its reasoned verdict, the court pointed out that the defendant and the deceased had been living together for many years without "official marriage."

"Considering that the defendant contested that he killed the deceased because of her relationship with Fatih, as stated in the case law of the Court of Cassation, only spouses with official marriage have a duty of fidelity to each other in accordance with the Turkish Civil Code."

In his appeal application, the defendant's lawyer argued that "Although the parties were not officially married, they were married by imam marriage and introduced themselves as husband and wife to their surroundings, therefore the concept of family unity was formed as well as the obligation of fidelity."