Peaceful procession commemorates female victim slain by spouse in northern Turkey
In Turkey, the ongoing crisis of femicides continues to claim lives, with at least 259 women killed so far this year. The latest victim, Sinem Somun, a ship captain candidate, was shot and killed by her husband during their divorce.
The "Light into the Darkness" march was held in memory of Sinem Somun and all the women who have lost their lives due to treacherous attacks. Participants walked silently in groups of 10, holding candles, flashlights, and lights, eschewing slogans and posters.
Ozan Karagöz, Sinem Somun's lawyer, stated that she was the 259th woman to lose her life in 2025 due to a violent attack. Ali Eren Somun, her husband, is a minibus driver with a restraining order against him. He is currently in jail, awaiting trial.
The march was a response to the high rate of femicides in Turkey, according to Ozan Karagöz. He called for people to illuminate the darkness of femicide in society, urging for stronger action from authorities.
Aycan Aydemir, a marcher, stated that femicide in Turkey has increased significantly in recent years. She hopes that the "Light into the Darkness" march will be the last one due to an end to femicides in Turkey.
The killing occurred in the Adacık neighborhood of Beşikdüzü district in Trabzon, Turkey, around 10:30 p.m. on July 31. Sinem Somun was buried in the Eynesil district of Giresun.
Yasemin Minguzzi, the parent of Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, who was fatally stabbed in Istanbul, joined the march to show solidarity with Sinem Somun's family. During the march, Yasemin made a promise to Sinem's family.
After an argument and struggle, Ali Eren Somun shot Sinem Somun. She was wounded in the leg and back and died despite medical efforts. Ali Eren Somun fled but was later captured by special forces in a wooded area near Sinop, Turkey's northern coast.
As of 2025, femicides in Turkey remain alarmingly high, with around 300 women murdered annually, and additional suspicious deaths. The rate is about 0.9 per 100,000 women. The causes of femicides are closely linked to domestic violence, with most victims killed by current or former intimate partners. Factors contributing to femicide include entrenched gender roles, insufficient legal protections, and societal attitudes that sometimes tolerate or overlook violence against women.
Regarding government response, Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in 2021 has been widely criticized for potentially weakening protections against gender-based violence. Civil society groups continue to track and protest femicides, as seen in silent marches held to honor victims like Sinem Somun, drawing public attention to the ongoing crisis and demanding stronger action from authorities.
The "Light into the Darkness" march in Istanbul was a silent protest against the high rate of femicides in Turkey, with Yasemin Minguzzi, the parent of a fatal stabbing victim, joining the march in solidarity with Sinem Somun's family. Ozan Karagöz, Sinem's lawyer, called for stronger action from authorities, linking the march to the ongoing crisis of femicides in the country, which is alarmingly high, with around 300 women murdered annually.
