RIHA – According to the Women's Rights Violations Report by the Riha (Urfa) Bar Association and AYHED, 12 women were murdered in the city between 2024 and 2025, 187 were subjected to violence, 36 to sexual harassment, 24 to sexual assault, and 16 attempted suicide. 

 

The Riha Bar Association and the Association for Access to Fair Trial (AYHED) prepared the Women's Rights Violations Report as part of the project "Developing legal capacity to combat human rights violations in the Riha region," carried out in cooperation with the European Union (EU) Delegation to Turkey. The report, covering the period from 1 January 2024 to 12 December 2025, recorded that during this period, 12 women were murdered, 187 were subjected to violence, 36 were sexually harassed, 24 were sexually assaulted, and 16 attempted suicide. 

 

The report, compiled using data from public institutions working on women's issues, women's, legal and civil society organisations, and media coverage, stated that the findings and identifiable cases reflected the minimum level due to limitations in institutional data sharing. 

 

12 FEMICIDE, 187 INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

 

The report highlighted that violence against women predominantly occurred within close relationships and family contexts. According to the report, 97 cases of violence against women were identified in 2024 and 90 in 2025. Similarly, 19 cases of sexual harassment were identified in 2024 and 17 in 2025. The report stated that 8 cases of sexual assault were identified in 2024 and 16 in 2025, while 7 women attempted suicide in 2024 and 9 in 2025. 

 

The report stated that 12 murders of women were identified in Riha between 2024 and 2025, and that 2 women died under suspicious circumstances. The report emphasised that in cases of suspicious deaths, the fact that incidents were sometimes recorded as "suicide/accident", the limited evidence collection processes, and the failure to conduct investigations with a gender perspective raised serious concerns regarding the obligation to conduct effective investigations. The report highlighted delays, insufficient risk assessment, lack of supervision, and ineffective deterrent sanctions against violations in the implementation of protective and preventive measures envisaged under Law No. 6284.

 

WOMEN ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THEIR RIGHT TO PROTECTION

 

The report noted that these shortcomings prevent women from accessing their right to protection in a timely and effective manner, and listed the following recommendations and calls for action:

 

"*The implementation of Law No. 6284 in a risk-based, rapid and verifiable manner,

 

* Conducting ex officio, in-depth and gender-sensitive investigations in cases of violence and death,

 

* Avoiding hasty closures with "suicide/accident" classifications in suspicious female deaths and implementing effective evidence collection processes,

 

* Enforcement of deterrent sanctions in cases of violation of protection orders,

 

* Strengthening inter-institutional coordination; institutionalising data collection, sharing and transparency,

 

* Increasing the accessibility of support mechanisms for vulnerable groups, particularly migrant/refugee women and women with disabilities,

 

* We demand institutional support for the monitoring, litigation and advocacy capacities of bar associations and NGOs working in the field of women's rights."