Women commemorate Yasemin Çetindağ

Women in Strasbourg commemorated Yasemin Çetindağ, who was killed by her former partner Savaş Özyanık in front of her children on December 23.

Yasemin Çetindağ was commemorated in Strasbourg. She was killed by her former partner, Savaş Özyanık, and her body was found in the Vendenheim forest on 28 December.

Women's groups gathered in Kleber Square to join the commemoration promoted by Zin Women Initiative. Women pointed out that Yasemin Çetindağ was a new murder carried out by the patriarchy system.

Yasemin Çetindağ’ sister, Leyla, as well as other members of the woman’s family joined the action.  Leyla Çetindağ said that her sister was full of life and that she loved her children very much. She added that her sister was brutally murdered in front of the eyes of her children, and their pain will never end.

Speakers at the commemoration noted that the killings of women are increasing in the world.

Zin Women's Initiative activist Meryem Tekiner said that women are seen as second-class citizens by the power and the nation-state, and that they are faced with the pressure men and the state for reclaiming their freedom.

Tekiner said that Kurdish women have been fighting against this mentality for years and added: “We think that only women can establish a fair and free life and we are fighting for this. For years, we have been trying to make our voices heard everywhere with the slogan Jin, jiyan, azadi.”

Most women, including Yasemin Çetindağ, are killed when they rejected the man and demanded her own freedom, said Meryem Tekiner, adding that women would not remain silent.

A call was issued at the end of the action for all women to be in court on the day murderer Savaş Özyankı will be tried.