Nicolai Palamarciuc, a Moldovan national working in Turkey, died after being bound and brutally beaten by the relatives of his employer in İstanbul’s Başakşehir district on Tuesday, the Bianet news website reported.
The attack occurred in a leather workshop where Palamarciuc was employed. He was reportedly seen taking documents from the shop. After other workers alerted the employer, four of the employer’s relatives arrived at the shop, bound his hands and feet, and subjected him to a violent beating.
Police, responding to calls from bystanders, found Palamarciuc bound and severely injured, with one suspect standing over him holding a knife. Palamarciuc was taken to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. The suspects were taken into custody.
Turkey’s labor landscape has long been marred by systemic exploitation, especially of migrant laborers. Reports of wage theft, hazardous working environments and physical violence are widespread. Migrant workers, often undocumented or employed without contracts, face heightened risks due to limited access to justice, fear of deportation and exclusion from union protections.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has consistently ranked Turkey among the worst countries for workers’ rights. Its 2025 report cites intensified repression of labor activism, including police violence against peaceful protests, further eroding the already fragile protections for workers in industrial sectors.
