Turkish Police Arrest Ex-partner Over Brutal Killing Of University Student

Turkish police have arrested a man for the brutal murder of Pinar Gultekin, a 27-year-old university student, in the southwestern Mugla province.

Gultekin, an economics student in Mugla Sitki Kocman University, was reported missing by her family after they lost contact with her on July 16.

Her body was found in a forest in Mentese district on Tuesday by local gendarmerie teams conducting a search operation.

The suspect, her former partner, Cemal Metin Avci was detained soon after and confessed to killing Gultekin.

Turkey’s Minister of Family, Labour and Social Services Zehra Zumrut Selcuk said on Twitter her department is following the judicial process closely to make sure the culprit behind Gultekin’s brutal murder will get the heaviest penalty.

Murdered over a relationship

Gultekin, who was living in an apartment in Akyaka, told her sister in a phone call that she was going shopping on Thursday.

Her mother and sister, who live in Istanbul, filed a missing person report after they were unable to reach her.

Avci reportedly first beat Gultekin before he strangled her to death.

In his statement, Avci said he tried to get back with Gultekin after they broke up. When she refused, he said, he killed her in a fit of rage at his country cottage, also in Mugla.

Her sister said Gultekin ended her relationship with Avci after she found out he was a married man.

Media reports of the young woman’s death prompted many to post messages against gender-based violence.

Speaker of Turkey’s National Assembly Mustafa Sentop also took to Twitter to offer his condolences to Gultekin’s family, adding the heaviest sentence should be applied to those who commit violence against women.

Rallies against femicide are expected in several Turkish cities on Tuesday evening.

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