She was on a vigil for justice: Fatma Nur, who suffered abuse, and her 8-year-old daughter have died

The bodies of a mother and her daughter were found late last night on the Kazlıçeşme coast in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district. Citizens who had come to the shore to fish noticed a person lying motionless in the water and reported the situation to the police and medical teams.

In the examination conducted by the teams arriving at the scene, it was determined that the deceased were Fatma Nur Çelik and her daughter, Hifa İkra Şengüler.

ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND THE VIGIL FOR JUSTICE

It had been stated that Fatma Nur Çelik was abused by Ayhan Şengüler, an executive at the Kuran’a Hizmet Foundation. Furthermore, it was reported that Çelik had begun a vigil for justice following claims that Ayhan Şengüler was accused of abusing his own daughter and had not been arrested despite strong evidence.

Information was shared that Çelik herself had also been subjected to abuse as a child.

STATEMENT FROM THE ASSOCIATION

The news that the mother and daughter had lost their lives was announced to the public by the Children and Women First Association (Önce Çocuklar ve Kadınlar Derneği).

The following statements were included in the announcement made by the association:

“We have received the news of the death of our clients, mother Fatma Nur Çelik and her daughter Hifa İkra Şengüler, whose case we undertook in their struggle against abuse, with deep sorrow today.

Our clients could no longer endure the siege of reactionaries and the severe pain they were forced to live through. As the Children and Women First Association, we promise that we will hold those responsible for every life we have lost to the fullest extent.”

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED

It was reported that an investigation has been launched following the incident. The bodies of the mother and daughter were taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute morgue to determine the exact cause of death.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED? 

Mother Çelik had been abused by Ayhan Şengüler years ago when she was a child. Çelik was later married off to Ayhan Ş. It was alleged that Hifa İkra Şengüler, who was born after the marriage, was also subjected to sexual abuse by Ayhan Şengüler starting from the age of 3. While the case was ongoing, Mother Çelik had begun a vigil for justice after Ayhan Şengüler was tried without arrest.

Although Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş claimed that counseling services and financial support were provided to the family, the Children and Women First Association reacted by saying, “Every time the mother tried to speak about the negligence experienced, she was implicitly threatened by the relevant institutions that her child would be taken away from her. The visits made today under the name of ‘support’ do not erase this reality.”

SHE HAD BEGUN A VIGIL FOR JUSTICE 

Çelik, who had been holding a vigil for justice in front of the Anatolian Courthouse in Istanbul's Kartal district for some time and asking for public support, had said, "If something happens to me, do not call it suicide.” 

Çelik had said the following:

“The person who committed this crime has a criminal record for various other offenses. Despite being investigated multiple times, he was released. They told me, ‘We have judge and lawyer brothers; nothing will happen.’ I have audio recordings. When I tried to make my voice heard, programs were removed, and my images were deleted by court order. I was offered money to be silenced.

I have no mother, no father. I have no one in life. I am fighting alone. Who is protecting this perpetrator? Why is he still free? I do not want justice to be served only after I am dead. 

At this stage, suicide is absolutely out of the question for me. If something happens to me, I do not want it to be allowed to be portrayed as suicide. Why am I being threatened with having my child taken away from me when there are so many doctor's reports and I am fighting so hard? Why are those who should be by my side standing against me? Is it easier to sacrifice us because we are poor and have no one?”