"My death warrant has been signed. I will definitely be killed"

Güldünya Tören was 22 years old... She was raped by a relative and became pregnant. When her pregnancy became visible, she fled to Istanbul. But the 'töre' (custom) did not let her go. The family council had issued an execution order. Two brothers were given the task. One of the brothers who came to Istanbul called his sister outside, and the other opened fire. While Güldünya, who was wounded in the leg, was being taken to the hospital, her brothers fled. Güldünya was later killed in the emergency room of Bakırköy State Hospital, where she had been transferred, after being shot in the head twice by her brothers. It has been 20 years since the death of Güldünya, who became a symbol of honor killings and femicides.

Her story, which began in Bitlis, was cited as an example for women suffering from violence in Turkey. I was the one who took her photograph and interviewed her in the hospital room before she was killed. I was working as a reporter for Sabah Newspaper at the time. What had Güldünya said 5 minutes before her execution? Her story, which started in Bitlis, had ended with her execution by her brothers in Istanbul. What did she say in the hospital where she was taken as a wounded person hours before she was killed? Why did she not file a complaint against the brothers who shot her? With what words did she describe that she would be killed? Now, I have penned down what Güldünya Tören told me that day for you.

I have followed and reported on numerous femicides that have occupied Turkey's agenda in many provinces, including Istanbul. But the one that affected me the most was the Güldünya Tören murder. It was the evening of February 26, 2004. I was looking into a suicide case in Halkalı. At that moment, a police officer friend called me. He said that a woman had been wounded by a firearm and had gone to a private hospital in Sefaköy. I was looking into another matter in Halkalı. I immediately left the work I was doing and went to the mentioned hospital. After a brief investigation, I learned that the woman had been shot in the leg by her brothers. I had to find a way to get to her, take a photo, and conduct an interview. When I saw the corridor was empty for a moment, I entered the room. She was surprised to see me. I told her I was a journalist. I asked what happened and why her brothers shot her. Perhaps she was going to tell someone she had just met for the first time about what she had been through.

Before starting the interview with Güldünya, I said I wanted to take a photo. She accepted. How could we have known that those two frames of photographs would be the last look Güldünya had at life... After the photo shoot was over, Güldünya began to tell her story. "I was raped by my relative Servet Taş. He is married. I became pregnant. When my belly swelled, I had to tell my family about the situation. They wanted to give me to Servet as a second wife. But I did not accept. Upon this, it was decided to send me to my uncle Mehmet in Istanbul. Some time after I arrived in Istanbul, my uncle received a phone call. I understood at that moment. The family council had gathered and made the decision. They were going to kill me. They shared this with my uncle as well. I had to find a way to escape from there. Immediately, Alaattin Ceylan, who was an imam in our village, came to my mind. I established contact with his daughter Keramet. Then I came to them. My child was born in December. I no longer had any hope for life. That is why I named my son 'Umut' (Hope). I gave him up for adoption to a family without children. Because they are going to kill me. At least let my son live. The family council had gathered and issued my execution order. They gave the task of killing me to my brothers. They love me very much, and I love them too. My brother İrfan called me and said, 'Come outside, I've come to pick you up.' I went outside. At that moment, my other brother Ferit was on the sidewalk across the road. We made eye contact. He started firing the gun. When I was shot in the leg, I fell to the ground. My brothers started to run away. Alaattin Ceylan, the family I was staying with, came and brought me to the hospital. I was shot in the leg. I just gave a statement. I said I didn't see or know who shot me. I cannot file a complaint against my brothers. Because the name of this is 'Töre'. There is no escape from this either. The family council made the decision. They couldn't kill me now, if not tomorrow, then in a month, in a year, they will definitely kill me," said Güldünya... No matter how much I begged, I couldn't get her to add it to her statement. I told Güldünya, "Come on, say in your official statement that the ones who shot you were your brothers and that this is a matter of honor, so that you can be taken under protection. Let the police wait in front of your room as long as you stay in the hospital." However, Güldünya continued to protect her brothers by saying "No." After leaving the hospital, I went to my home. In the morning, I went to my newspaper in Balmumcu and wrote the story. A while later, one of my journalist friends came to me and said, "Müslim, a woman was killed in Bakırköy State Hospital because of 'töre'." I called my journalist friend in Gayrettepe. At that moment, it didn't occur to me that it was Güldünya. When I called my friend working at the branch, he confirmed the incident and said her name was Güldünya Tören. I went to the editorial office and told my manager that Güldünya had been killed. Just as Güldünya had said, the pen had been broken and the decision had been made. They hadn't succeeded at that moment, but not even 12 hours had passed before the two brothers came to the hospital room, fired two shots at Güldünya's head, and fled the scene. So, how did the brothers find out that Güldünya had been transferred to this hospital? It was determined that it was told to the brothers by her uncle Mehmet Tören, who was staying as an attendant with Güldünya.

Exactly 20 years have passed. Many artists, including Zülfü Livaneli, wrote songs about Güldünya. Documentaries were made, plays were performed. Güldünya became the symbol of femicides and honor killings that started in Bitlis and ended in death in Istanbul. Her son Umut is now 20 years old. The rapist Servet Taş was killed by Güldünya's father, Şerif Tören, on October 14, 2011. Her brother Ferit Tören, who killed Güldünya, lost his life in prison on February 29, 2012, after suffering a heart attack. According to the data on the We Will Stop Femicide Platform's website, 31 women were killed in January 2024, and 36 women were killed in February 2024. Happy March 8 International Women's Day, with the wish for a day when there are no femicides at all.