Al Jazeera

People express shock and anger over the killing of academic in Istanbul amid rising violence against women in the country.

Police in Turkey have arrested a suspect in the killing of a female academic in the country’s largest city, Istanbul, as people expressed shock and anger over the latest case of femicide in the country.

Aylin Sözer, 48, – head of Istanbul Aydın University’s Preschool Education Department – was killed at her residence in the Maltepe district of Istanbul. The country has seen nearly 400 cases of femicides this year, according to a women’s rights group.

Police sources told local media the suspect attempted to burn Sozer’s body “after slitting her throat”.

The suspect, 32-year-old Kemal A, was found in Sozer’s residence and detained by police after they were notified by her neighbours of smoke that had filled the building. The motive behind the killing is not yet clear.

Sozer’s killing has sparked angry reactions and calls for justice, including from Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdogan.

“Every femicide opens new wounds in our hearts. We expect the criminals who murdered our women to receive the heaviest punishment,” she said in a Twitter post.

Her kadın cinayeti, kalbimizde yeni yaralar açıyor. Kadınlarımızı katleden canilerin en ağır cezayı almalarını bekliyoruz.
Yitirdiğimiz tüm kardeşlerime Allah’tan rahmet, ailelerine ve tüm ülkemize başsağlığı diliyorum.

— Emine Erdoğan (@EmineErdogan) December 29, 2020