The torn and mutilated torso of a 37-year-old woman, reported to be an Uzbek national, was found wrapped in a sheet in a garbage bin in Istanbul on Jan. 24. Her head and legs were reportedly severed and not immediately recovered. Two men were detained at Istanbul Airport as they allegedly tried to flee, and a third suspect was arrested later. The killing has sparked large protests in Istanbul and Ankara, with activists calling for accountability and an end to violence against women.
Decapitated Uzbek Woman Found in Istanbul Bin; Three Arrested as Protests Erupt
IstanbulGetty
Turkish authorities have identified three suspects in the brutal killing of a 37-year-old woman whose mutilated torso was discovered in a garbage bin in Istanbul on Jan. 24. Local media and AFP reported the victim is an Uzbek national; her name has not been released.
A paper collector found the woman's body wrapped in a sheet. Investigators said the victim's head and legs had reportedly been severed and were not immediately recovered at the scene. Officials have not publicly detailed how the victim was identified.
Two men were detained at Istanbul Airport amid reports they were attempting to flee the country; local outlets described them as Uzbek nationals. A third man was arrested later, and authorities have not confirmed his nationality. Police and prosecutors continue to investigate and have not released further details about motive or the course of events.
Protests and Reaction
The killing prompted large demonstrations in Istanbul and in the capital, Ankara, where activists and campaigners focused attention on persistent violence against women in Turkey. The rallies were organized in part by the group Stop Femicides.
“The perpetrators were so confident nothing would happen to them that they could just leave the body of the woman they killed in a bin in plain view,” said Isil Kurt of Stop Femicides, calling for accountability and stronger measures to prevent gender-based violence.
AFP reported the arrests and the protests, citing Turkish media. Authorities have said the investigation is ongoing; further official updates are expected as police process evidence and question suspects.
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