Freed by Amnesty, Then a Murder: Women's Platform Condemns Turkey's Justice Policy

A leading Turkish women's rights group has issued a stark warning following a recent murder. The case, it says, exposes fatal flaws in the country's justice policies. The Equality for Women Platform (EŞİK) released a statement about the killing of Rojda Yakışıklı. She was murdered by Okan Gür, a man who was her religious marriage partner. Gür had been in prison but was released under a recent amnesty law. EŞİK states he killed Yakışıklı immediately after his release. The platform's declaration is direct: "Amnesty policies are killing women." It argues that laws which free convicts early, without proper risk assessment, endanger women's lives. This case, they say, is a direct and tragic example. EŞİK is now calling for an urgent review of amnesty and parole regulations. It demands stronger protections for women, especially those known to be at risk from partners or former partners with violent histories.