'Why was the man who killed Fatma Altınmakas released?'

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Fatma Altınmakas, a mother of six children, was allegedly sexually assaulted by her spouse's brother and killed by her spouse in Malazgirt, Muş, on July 14, the day the perpetrator was released from detention.

MPs Dirayet Dilan Taşdemir, Şevin Coşkun and Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) brought the feminicide into the parliamentary agenda.

According to the motions by the deputies, the incident happened as follows: Fatma Altınmakas and her spouse Kazım Altınmakas went to Malazgirt Gendarmerie Station on July 12 and filed a complaint against Sinan Altınmakas, who allegedly had been threatening to kill them and their children for three months and sexually assaulted Fatma Altınmakas repeatedly.

Following the complaint, Sinan Altınmakas was taken into custody. While the prosecutor's office requested him to be remanded in custody, Malazgirt Penal Court of Peace released him upon judicial control on July 14. Despite the prosecutor's two appeals, the court released Altınmakas "considering the current evidence, the suspect having a permanent residence and there was no possibility for spoiling evidence."

On the day when his brother was released from detention, Kazım Altınmakas killed his spouse, claiming that he "slandered against his brother."

Altınmakas was killed after a "chain of negligence" by judicial authorities, the MPs stated. "The fact that Fatma Altınmakas was not given temporary protection, that she was sent home with her spouse who murdered her after two days, and the release of the rape suspect paved the way for the murder of Fatma, in other words, for another feminicide."

They also noted that the authorities were obliged to provide temporary protection to Altınmakas according to the İstanbul Convention and Law No. 6284 on Prevention of Violence Against Women.

A Kurdish interpreter was not assigned for Fatma Altınmakas, who didn't speak Turkish, the MPs further noted.

The HDP deputies asked the following questions to Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu:

• What is the reason for the release of suspect Sinan Altınmakas, who had threatened and sexually assaulted Fatma Altınmakas for a long time, despite all the evidence and the prosecutor's appeal?
• What is the reason for not providing temporary protection for Fatma Altıntaş although her risk of being killed had increased after she filed a complaint?
• What is the reason for not issuing a restraining order against Kazım Altınmakas and Sinan Altınmakas?
• Is it not contradictory that Fatma Altınmakas was killed by her husband, who went together with her to the gendarmerie to file a complaint against Sinan Altınmakas? Is the investigation into this contradictory situation being deepened?
• What is the distribution of feminicides by provinces?
• In the last five years, how many women were killed by people whom they filed a complaint or requested a restraining order against? (RT/VK)