A man suspected of murdering two young women in Istanbul reportedly took his own life on Friday, according to city authorities. This incident adds to the alarming trend of violence against women in Turkey.
The DHA news agency reported that the suspect had beheaded one of his victims on the city’s historic ramparts. Istanbul officials revealed that the suspect and both victims were 19 years old, and the women were killed within a mere 30 minutes of each other. It remains unclear whether the victims were acquainted with their assailant.
Turkey has been grappling with a surge in violence against women. A monitoring group has recorded 290 murders of women this year, with over 160 classified as “suspect” killings officially labeled as suicides or accidents.
In 2021, Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, a Council of Europe treaty aimed at preventing violence against women and requiring national authorities to investigate and penalize such acts.