Turkish citizen Cansu Badur issues a plea for help from the house where she is being held in Afghanistan

Report: Sinem Nazlı Demir

31-year-old Turkish citizen Cansu Ndori, formerly Cansu Badur, has become a major topic of discussion in Turkey following a video she recorded from the house in Afghanistan where she is being forcibly held and subjected to violence.

12punto reached out to Cansu's family and began closely following the process. First, contact was established with her brother, and then a controlled and cautious communication plan, going beyond standard journalistic methods, was developed to reach Cansu.

In this context, our reporter Sinem Nazlı Demir was involved in the process not by directly revealing her identity, but through a method that would not jeopardize Cansu's safety. Introduced by Cansu's brother as an old acquaintance from the neighborhood, Demir helped establish the necessary environment of trust for the conversation to take place. Her brother told Cansu, "When we talk this evening, let Sinem join us too; she wants to see you." thereby laying the groundwork for this communication.

CANSU'S LOCATION IDENTIFIED AND REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES

Her brother told Cansu, "Just as we do every evening, let's have Sinem join us while we talk tonight; she wants to see you," he said, setting the stage for this communication.

Using this method, a video call was conducted at 02:31 AM Afghanistan time on April 12. However, this call was not an interview in the traditional sense. No direct questions were asked regarding the violence, her captivity, or her situation; the conversation was maintained in a way that would appear as an ordinary chat to an outside observer.

Following the call, Sinem Nazlı Demir initiated the process to contact the relevant authorities based on the findings and data obtained. At the same time, an online interview was conducted with Cansu's brother, Alican Badur, to bring the family's plea to the public's attention.

ABDUL TOOK MY FATHER'S INHERITANCE MONEY FROM CANSU

Speaking to 12punto, Alican Badur explained in detail how the relationship between Cansu and Abdul began and at what point the process took a turn for the worse. According to the family, the foundation of this relationship was not trust, but economic exploitation from the very beginning:

"My father passed away in 2022 and left an inheritance to my sister before he died. It was 80,000 Turkish Liras in the currency of that time. During this period, my sister Cansu was working at a textile workshop in Sultangazi, and she met an Afghan citizen named Abdul Varsi Ndori at this workshop. Later, communication began between them, and this person borrowed the 80,000 liras from my sister. However, he actually deceived her because he never paid that money back to her."

ABDUL WAS DEPORTED IN 2022

The first critical development that changed the course of the relationship occurred when Abdul's legal status in Turkey was revealed. Following an argument, police teams involved in the situation determined that Abdul was in the country illegally, and this situation completely changed the direction of the process.

This development did not only result in Abdul's deportation; it also marked the beginning of a process that would eventually lead Cansu to Afghanistan.

Alican Badur described this period with the following words:

"In 2022, Abdul and Cansu were having an argument one day, and upon investigating the incident, the police teams realized that Abdul was an illegal immigrant. Later, Abdul was deported to Afghanistan."

CANSU WAS FORCED INTO MARRIAGE IN AFGHANISTAN

Continuing to communicate after the deportation order, Abdul this time made an economic promise to persuade Cansu to go to Afghanistan. According to the family, this process involved calculated manipulation. Cansu agreed to go to Afghanistan, thinking she could get back money that belonged to her.

After arriving in Kabul, however, Abdul and his family subjected Cansu to violence, and she was forced to marry Abdul.

Alican Badur described what happened as follows:

"Abdul set a trap for Cansu, calling her to Afghanistan and saying, 'If you come here, I will give you your money.' Cansu then went to Afghanistan, to Kabul, and Abdul" "I have a house, they will give me the deed soon, if we get married, I can pay off your debt with the money from the house" he says. To ensure the marriage process did not take long, Abdul's family pressured Cansu and forced her to marry him by using violence. Cansu has now been in Afghanistan for a year. She went and could not come back."

SHE SOUGHT REFUGE AT THE EMBASSY, TALIBAN DID NOT PERMIT HER TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

According to the family's account, Cansu's most concrete attempt to escape her situation took place towards the end of February.

Having managed to escape the house where she was subjected to violence, Cansu reached out to Turkish officials in Kabul and requested help. Badur stated that at this stage, the Republic of Turkey's Embassy in Kabul intervened in the process, but the process remained inconclusive due to the current political conditions in Afghanistan.

Brother Badur continued to recount what happened as follows:

"About 5 weeks ago, Cansu managed to escape the house somehow and sought refuge at the Republic of Turkey's Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, with her face and eyes swollen. The officials at the embassy tried to help. They initiated the procedures and placed Cansu in a hotel. They asked us to buy her plane ticket. We raised money from various sources and bought a plane ticket for her to travel from Kabul to Istanbul on March 4. However, she could not make that flight because the official procedures were not completed. During this process, Abdul filed a complaint, claiming, 'She stole my deeds, she is trying to escape.' Later, Turkish officials bought a second plane ticket for March 6. Cansu went to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on March 6, but Taliban authorities did not allow Cansu to leave Afghanistan. The Taliban officials told Cansu, 'You have an exit ban; your husband has filed a complaint against you,' and handed Cansu back to Abdul."

"MY SISTER IS UNDER SERIOUS RISK"

Following Cansu's return to Abdul, communication between Cansu and her family was cut off for a long time, and the violence escalated. According to the family, Cansu's connection to the outside world is largely kept under control, and her safety is at serious risk.

Alican Badur described the situation with these words:

"Abdul broke Cansu's phone, and we could not reach my sister for a long time. Since that day, the violence has continued to increase. After a long time, Cansu managed to get herself a new phone. Furthermore, Abdul is a substance user, which is why my sister is under serious risk."

"WE DEMAND THAT MY SISTER BE BROUGHT TO TURKEY"

The family emphasizes that the situation is not just a matter of captivity, but that Cansu is in a more vulnerable position due to her health condition. Alican Badur expressed the demand for his sister to be brought to Turkey with these words:

"My sister has a mental disability due to a head injury she suffered in the past, so she cannot think at the same level as her peers. She has two children, aged 7 and 11, from her first marriage. We demand from the authorities that my sister be brought to Turkey as soon as possible. My sister is with someone who is not mentally stable, and her life is in danger."

There has been no statement yet from the Republic of Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or relevant official institutions regarding Cansu's situation. The family is waiting for a positive response from the authorities.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT CONSIDERED A CRIME UNLESS BONES ARE BROKEN

The new penal code implemented by the Taliban administration in Afghanistan at the beginning of 2026 establishes a legal framework that further deepens the existing oppressive regime, particularly for women and girls. These regulations not only limit fundamental rights and freedoms but also create a structure that effectively renders violence against women invisible and institutionalizes impunity.

In the new system, the definition of violence is narrowed to include only severe physical consequences such as "broken bones" or "open wounds" as criminal offenses, while physical violence outside of these parameters is largely left unpunished. This approach means that the systematic violence women are subjected to is not legally recognized, effectively eliminating the state's duty to protect.

The most striking change for women and girls is the almost complete elimination of access to education and public life. While the education of girls is banned, women's participation in working life has been largely prevented. Furthermore, women's daily lives are strictly monitored; the inability to travel without a male companion, the restriction of visibility in public spaces, and the limitation of social relationships through criminal sanctions are the primary examples of this control. Even the private sphere is not exempt from this oversight; for instance, visiting family without a husband's permission can be subject to imprisonment.

On the other hand, the new penal code establishes a system in which not only the state but also society is involved in the monitoring and punishment process. Allowing individuals to intervene against behaviors defined as "sinful" creates a constant threat of surveillance and violence for women in public spaces. In this context, the main regulations that directly affect women can be summarized as follows:

The impunity of violence: Physical violence is not considered a crime unless a bone is broken or an open wound is inflicted.

Ban on education: Exclusion of girls from all levels of education

Restriction of freedom of movement: Inability to travel without a male guardian

 Legalization of domestic control: Punishment of women for establishing social relationships without permission

Expansion of social surveillance: Granting individuals the authority to intervene and punish based on "moral" grounds

The continuation of physical punishments: The continued implementation of punishments such as flogging, including against women.

When these regulations are evaluated together, it is evident that women in Afghanistan are being systematically excluded not only from the public sphere but also from legal protection mechanisms. The new penal regime creates a structure that, rather than preventing violence against women, normalizes it, renders it invisible, and reproduces it at a societal level.