A man who fatally shot his daughter-in-law received a reduced prison sentence on the grounds that he had been “provoked,” once again drawing criticism that femicide perpetrators are protected by a culture of impunity.
According to Turkish media reports, on December 28, 2023 mother-of-three Derya Demir was murdered by her father-in-law, Satılmış Demir, in Ankara. She was shot seven times early in the morning while sleeping.
The victim’s husband had died by suicide a week earlier, and in his defense, Satılmış Demir claimed that Derya Demir was responsible for his son’s death. He accused his daughter-in-law of infidelity, alleging that he had seen explicit photographs of her. However, the media did not disclose how he accessed these photographs.
The prosecutor sought an aggravated life sentence, but Satılmış Demir was instead given a reduced sentence of 24 years in prison.
Article 29 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) is often used to reduce sentences for men accused of such crimes on the grounds that the victim provoked the murder with her actions. However, Turkish women’s rights activists have criticized this practice, saying it creates a culture of impunity.
Turkish courts are often accused of interpreting the law leniently in cases of gender-based violence. They also reduce sentences for men based on “good conduct” in the courtroom, which is at the discretion of the judge.
Lawyer Selin Nakıpoğlu from the Women’s Platform for Equality (ESIK) said by issuing reduced sentences based on provocation, the courts were saying victims deserved to be killed or hurt.
Women’s rights activists said the law should be amended because it does not clarify what exactly can be considered a provocation, and in a conservative society even the most innocuous adverse behavior from a woman can be considered a provocation.
Femicides and violence against women are serious problems in Turkey, where women are killed, raped or beaten every day. According to the We Will Stop Femicide Platform (KCDP), at least 394 women were murdered by men in 2024.
