Singer stabbed to death after refusing marriage proposal

ISTANBUL

Hatice Kaçmaz was working on her first album and was expecting to release it before the end of the year.

A Turkish vocalist for public broadcaster TRT’s live music programs has been stabbed to death by an individual after she refused his marriage proposal.

Hatice Kaçmaz, 33, received an unexpected proposal from O.M., who lived in the same Ankara neighborhood as her on Sept. 13. O.M. conveyed his marriage proposal through two female relatives, who made a visit to Kaçmaz’s home. But Kaçmaz, who lost her husband in a car accident and has a 3-year-old daughter, refused the proposal, sending the two women away from her house.

Following the incident, O.M. assaulted Şaşmaz after he attempted to convince her to elope with him. Police said O.M. dragged Şaşmaz to a park after she resisted, where he stabbed her 15 times. Kaçmaz died after being rushed to hospital, while O.M. was detained by police.

Officers said the assailant had previously been sent to jail after stabbing his father and brother.
Kaçmaz, who also gave concerts at special events, was working on her first album and was expecting to release it before the end of the year.

The increase in women’s murders over the last year has raised concerns in civil society, with nongovernmental organizations pressuring Parliament to hold a special session on the issue.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Aylin Nazlıaka said in a report that 129 women were killed in the first half of 2014, up from 88 in the same period in 2013.