The suspicious death of Rojin Kabaiş (21), a 1st year student of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Department of Child Development, remains on the agenda. 

 

Rojin Kabaiş was not heard from after leaving the student dormitory on 27 September 2024. On 15 October of the same year, his body was found on the shore of Molla Kasım neighbourhood of Wan Lake. 

 

Despite the time that has passed, no progress has been made in the case. Attempts by the family, human rights defenders and legal organisations to shed light on the incident continue.  

 

'NOT SUICIDE, MURDER' 

 

We asked the residents of the city where the incident took place about the suspicious death of Rojin Kabaiş and the lack of clarification. Sema Nur Gülce stated that the incident should be clarified and noted that she and other women do not feel safe. 

 

"In almost every city, many women are killed or murdered in suspicious ways. No measures have been taken yet. Rojin Kabaiş was murdered right next to us. This is not suicide, it is a murder that is being covered up. Something must be done about this issue now," she said. 

 

Sema Nur Gülce emphasised that the whole society should speak out against the massacres of women and violence and stated that they are behind Rojin Kabaiş's case. 

 

Fatma Deniz stated that Rojin's murder must be brought to light. Stating that they hear about the death of a woman every day, Fatma Deniz added: "Women need to be protected by law. The penalties given should be a deterrent. Murderers should not walk free among us."

 

'WE WANT TO LIVE, NOT DIE'

 

Havin Eser, who asked for the incident to be clarified, said "We do not want to die, we want to live" and emphasised that they did not feel safe and that a voice should be raised for this. 

 

"A young woman with many dreams of life was murdered," said Yonca İşler and added: "We wake up every day with a new death. We are now standing in a place that only turns a deaf ear to the massacres of women"

 

Stating that they are against violence and massacres, Abdullah Karadoğan emphasised that the perpetrators should not be protected. He said: "As long as these perpetrators are protected, the deaths will continue. Even we are sceptical about our lives. The killer may be travelling among us right now. As in every massacre of women, we stand by the family in Rojin's case."

 

'THIS DARKNESS MUST BE ILLUMINATED' 

 

Muhsin Han said: "If a woman cannot go to the beach alone, it means that the problem is very big." He pointed out that the incident was a murder and the perpetrators should be found and prosecuted, and called on the authorities to take responsibility. 

 

Alaattin Koca stated that the suspicious death of Rojin Kabaiş was linked to the special war policies in Kurdistan and concluded: "We all need to put our hands under the stone to clarify Rojin's death. There has been a policy of assimilation and denial on Kurds for years. Today, there is persecution and ignoring. One of these is the policies of discrimination against women."

 

MA / Ozlem Yacan