Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
Cops called to a home by a terrified young woman as she fought with her jealous older boyfriend have found her strangled with a lanyard.
The shocking incident took place in the neighbourhood of Bahcelievler, in the district of Altinordu, in the northern Turkish province of Ordu, on 24th March.
Turkey has become notorious for several high-profile cases of femicide.
The latest incident happened shortly after Sinan Simsek had been drinking at a club in the district of Gulyali until late to celebrate his 36th birthday.
At the club, he was joined by his much younger girlfriend, 22-year-old Eda Evli.
However, the night soon turned sour with the couple quarrelling after returning home – allegedly due to Sinan’s jealousy.
Eda realised she had left her purse and mobile phone in the taxi home, but she managed to download an app on her boyfriend’s phone without him noticing.
The app – called KADES – was designed for victims of violence against women, which is all too prevalent in Turkey.
When the quarrel escalated into a full-blown fight, Eda managed to use KADES to notify the police.
Cops and paramedics were dispatched to the address – but they were too late. They found Eda in a room strangled with a lanyard.
The young woman was whisked away to hospital, where she died, despite doctors’ battle to save her.
Her boyfriend was arrested as he tried to flee the scene and admitted he had battered her.
In his statement to the police, he claimed: “We quarrelled out of jealousy. We had had rows before. I hit her. Then I went to the bedroom and slept.
“I don’t know when she died. I don’t remember anything after hitting her.”
It is unclear if he will be remanded in custody as the investigation continues.
Femicide is a growing problem in Turkey, particularly after the country officially quit the Istanbul Convention in July last year.
According to the 2021 Annual Data Report announced by the ‘We Will Stop Femicide Platform’, 280 women were killed by men in 2021, while 217 women were found suspiciously dead.
According to data from the ‘Monument Counter’, which is “a digital memorial for women killed by violence” and is updated daily, 90 femicides have taken place in Turkey so far this year.
