Trial over alleged 'family council' murder of Suzan Elik adjourned; protection orders failed, activists say

In Istanbul, the trial over the murder of Suzan Elik, who was allegedly killed by her estranged husband and his family after obtaining a restraining order, has been adjourned. The court heard testimony that Elik had received death threats from her husband's family and that they had convened a "family council" to decide her fate.

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Suzan Elik's case is one of the most striking examples of how the mechanisms responsible for protecting women's right to life become inoperable. Suzan was murdered in the middle of the street despite a restraining order against him. We saw once again that protection orders that remain on paper do not save women.

One witness claimed Elik had called them before her death, stating the family had met and made a decision about her. During the proceedings, a defense lawyer's comment, "The bald become long-haired, the blind become almond-eyed. If only the family had looked after their daughter," reportedly sparked an argument among the lawyers.

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The state's failure to effectively fulfill its positive obligation to protect women's right to life prevents femicides from being preventable and turns them into crimes committed in plain sight.

The trial was postponed until October 20. Following the hearing, Arzu Sena Topuz, a lawyer with the "Children and Women First Association," told Cumhuriyet that the case highlights the failure of mechanisms meant to protect women's right to life. "Protection orders that remain on paper do not save women," Topuz stated, adding that the state's failure to effectively protect women's lives turns preventable femicides into crimes committed in plain sight.

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In this case, it is not only the fugitive perpetrator who is on trial. Family members who made a 'family council' decision about Suzan and decreed her death, and who took part in this murder, are also answering in court.

Topuz emphasized that the responsibility lies not only with the individual perpetrator but also with the system that failed to provide protection. She noted that the family members who allegedly decreed Elik's death through the "family council" are also facing trial. The association vowed to follow the case closely, asserting that it represents the fight for justice for all women whose right to life was violated and who were killed due to a lack of protection.

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Our expectation is that the material truth will be revealed without any aspect left in the dark and that everyone responsible for this murder will receive the punishment they deserve. Any decision that reproduces impunity in femicides is unacceptable.