Body of woman missing for 4 months found in Turkish man's basement

Duvar English 

A man named Cüneyt Akyol is accused of shipping the body of a 20-year-old woman named Mervenur Polat who allegedly died after using drugs in his presence and has been missing since October 19, 2020, Turkish news agencies reported on March 8, International Women's Day.

Polat's family confirmed her identity after police discovered her body in the attic of an Antalya apartment building where Akyol's father lives.

Akyol reportedly put Polat's body in a cargo box and shipped it to his dad's house when he realized she had died, having a friend with a motorcycle drop off the young woman's remains to his dad. 

Polat's body was covered with plastic wrap, police reported, while the coroner noted that the young woman had waned down to 40 kilos before her death.

Six others were detained in the case of Polat, while the Turkish population burst out in anger over the case, especially noting the significance of the day to celebrate women, overshadowed by violence in Turkey.

Turkey's We Will Stop Femicides Platform said a lack of active investigations into violence against women was what made Polat think he could hide Akyol's body.

The platform also said that the lack of prosecution in Turkey was because the country didn't enforce the Istanbul Convention, an international document that sanctions women from violence in Turkey in theory, although Ankara and conservative circles debate withdrawing from the treaty.

Men killed at least 33 women in Turkey in February, news portal Bianet reported on March 5 from their regular news surveillance data, and scores of women are reported to die under suspicious circumstances every month. 

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