Suspicious femicides on the parliamentary agenda: 'Is there any work being done to prevent impunity?'

DEM Party Van MP Gülderen Varlı has brought suspicious deaths of women to the parliamentary agenda. Submitting a motion for Minister Göktaş to answer, Varlı raised allegations of negligence in the suspicious death of 3-month-pregnant Zeynep Varlı.

DEM Party MP Gülderen Varlı has brought allegations regarding femicides, suspicious deaths of women, and missing persons cases to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). Varlı submitted a written parliamentary question to the Speaker of the TBMM for the Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, to answer.

The motion stated that there are serious public concerns regarding the lack of effective investigations into femicides and suspicious death files, the failure to collect evidence in a timely manner, and policies of impunity.

Attention drawn to the Zeynep Varlı file

The motion recalled that Zeynep Varlı, who lived in the Erciş district of Van and was reported to be 3 months pregnant, died under suspicious circumstances on November 28, 2024.

According to information provided by family members, it was stated that Zeynep Varlı was subjected to physical and psychological violence throughout her marriage, that she told her family about the violence she experienced, but that no intervention was made. It was noted that the lawyers following the case have raised criticisms that the current expert report was not prepared by expert witnesses, that there are contradictory assessments regarding the cause of death, and that evidence was collected incompletely.

“Why was the arrest request rejected?”

The motion also brought up allegations that the suspect, Ahmet Hancı, was detained hours after the incident, that there were contradictions in the statements, and that the request for his arrest was rejected despite allegations of physical violence.

Van MP Gülderen Varlı directed the following questions to the Ministry:

• What judicial and administrative actions have been taken to date in the Zeynep Varlı file?

• Is there a request for the expert report to be re-prepared?

• Has it been investigated whether there was any negligence regarding the preservation of evidence?

• Has any assessment been made regarding the failure to arrest the suspect?

• What is the number of femicides, suspicious deaths, and missing women cases in Van over the last 10 years?

Şule Çet, Gülistan Doku, and Rojin Kabaiş cited as examples

The motion also stated that investigations conducted into some files previously evaluated as “suicide” revealed that the women were actually murdered or driven to suicide.

While it was stated that the Şule Çet case is an important example in this regard, it was noted that debates regarding the investigation processes in the Gülistan Doku and Rojin Kabaiş files are also continuing.

“Is there any work being done to prevent impunity?”

The motion also asked whether there is any work being done to assign expert witnesses, forensic psychologists, and independent forensic medicine experts in investigations regarding femicides and suspicious deaths of women.

Gülderen Varlı also requested an explanation as to whether a special action plan has been prepared by the Ministry to prevent impunity, conduct effective investigations, and ensure that evidence is collected in a timely manner.

News Source: 12punto