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Woman who died resisting rape draws 15,000 to streets in Turkey

Turkish protesters chant slogans at a demo on February 18, 2015 in the southern city of Mersin where a woman was killed earlier. (Hürriyet Daily)

Some 15,000 people have taken to streets over the murder of a rape victim in Turkey whose body was found burned last week.

The protesters rapped the killing at a demo near Çağ University in the southern city of Mersin, where 20-year-old Özgecan Aslan was a psychology student.

Özgecan’s murder has prompted massive outrage on social media and triggered protests in Turkey where many believe the government in Ankara has done little to protect women’s rights.

Students, families, and other people attending the protest from neighboring provinces carried banners reading "Rape is a crime against humanity," "Say 'stop' to murders of women," "We are not mourning but revolting," and ''Did you hear Özge's scream?"

"Not only was she attacked, she was then burnt. This hurt us all. We hope that her case may be a turning point," said Elif Logoglu, who heads the non-profit Women's Movement Association.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to look into the matter personally and hold talks with the country's justice minister for the toughest penalty possible.

“Violence against women is the bleeding wound of our country,” Erodgan said on Monday.

The victim was last seen on a minibus two days before her body was found on a riverbed on Friday in the coastal Mediterranean city.

According to Turkish media, the minibus driver, identified as Suphi Altindoken, has confessed to the killing and mutilation of the victim and is currently in custody along with his father and friend, accomplices to the crime.

She reportedly pepper sprayed the perpetrator to resist rape at the minibus which she was taking to go to Mersin city center from Tarsus.

The victim attacked the 26-year-old driver first after she noticed he was not following the normal route. She was finally stabbed to death.

Similar protests were held in other Turkish cities including İzmir, Antalya, Adana, Diyarbakır, and Batman.  

NT/AS/MHB


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