'Criminal network forces women who grew up in orphanages to sex work'

"We don't want to die" (Photo: csgorselarsiv.org)

Click to read the article in Turkish

In the past year, three women who grew up in orphanages suspiciously died in the capital city of Ankara.

Academic and lawyer Dr. Dilek Ekmekçi in December 2020 filed a criminal complaint regarding the death of Aleyna Çakır (21), claiming that there was a criminal network that forces women who grew up in orphanages to sex work. Judicial and security officials are among the clients of the group, she claimed.

This month, Eda Nur Kaplan (18) and Esra Hankulu (25) also died suspiciously. The suspect of the deaths of Çakır and Hankulu is the same man, Ümitcan Uygun, who is claimed to be involved in the criminal network in question.

The mother of Ümitcan Uygun, who was also accused of being involved in the organization, was found shot dead last September, weeks after Çakır's death.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Dirayet Dilan Taşdemir submitted a parliamentary question to Minister of Family and Social Services Derya Yanık about the allegations.

The MP cited Ekmekçi's claims that girls in orphanages were blackmailed with videos after being sexually abused and forced to sex work.

The network also uses these forced sex workers to blackmail politicians and state officials, according to Ekmekçi.

MP Çelik asked the minister whether the ministry was aware of the claims and there is an investigation about them. (EMK/VK)