Turkish Police Make Airport Arrests After Grisly Discovery of Dismembered Body
Turkish authorities have launched a major investigation following the horrific discovery of a woman's decapitated and dismembered body in a rubbish bin in central Istanbul. The grim find has triggered nationwide outrage and protests against femicide in a country that records hundreds of such killings annually.
Chilling Discovery in Şişli District
The tragic incident unfolded on Saturday evening in the bustling Şişli district at the heart of Istanbul. According to police reports, a paper collector searching for recyclable materials made the shocking discovery when they found a woman's body wrapped in a sheet inside a public rubbish bin.
Investigators quickly identified the victim as a 37-year-old Uzbek national through forensic examination and database checks. The investigation intensified when police reviewed extensive CCTV footage from the area, which revealed two men dumping a suspicious suitcase in a different bin nearby.
Swift Police Action at Istanbul Airport
Within hours of the discovery, Turkish police launched a coordinated operation that led to the arrest of two suspects at Istanbul Airport as they attempted to leave the country. Both individuals were identified as Uzbek nationals, according to reports from Turkey's DHA news agency. A third suspect was subsequently apprehended as the investigation widened.
The rapid police response prevented the suspects from fleeing Turkish jurisdiction, though authorities have not yet disclosed the precise relationship between the victim and those arrested.
Nationwide Protests Against Femicide
The news, which broke in Turkish media on Sunday, sparked immediate and widespread public fury. More than a thousand people attended protest marches in both Istanbul and the capital Ankara, demanding justice for the murdered woman and an end to violence against women.
Large crowds gathered at Osmanbey metro station in Şişli, carrying banners with powerful messages including:
- "Stop male violence!"
- "We demand justice for women who are murdered"
- "Migrant women are not alone"
Activist Response and Femicide Statistics
Isil Kurt of Turkey's We Will Stop Femicides Platform expressed outrage at the perpetrators' apparent confidence, stating: "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. Even though years pass and cities and names change, violence against women remains the same."
The incident highlights Turkey's ongoing struggle with femicide. While official national statistics are limited, the Stop Femicides civil platform has compiled data showing that in 2025 alone, 294 women were killed by men in Turkey, with a further 297 women found dead under suspicious circumstances.
Globally, the scale of violence against women remains staggering. United Nations data from November revealed that approximately 50,000 women and girls were murdered by their partners or family members in 2024 worldwide - equating to one death every ten minutes.
The investigation continues as Turkish authorities work to establish the full circumstances surrounding this brutal killing, while activists vow to maintain pressure for systemic change to protect women from violence.
