Turkey
Protesters hold portraits of eight-year-old Narin Guran during a protest at Kadikoy district in Istanbul, on September 8, 2024. Photo: Ozan Kose/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The discovery of the body of eight-year-old Kurdish girl Narin Guran near a stream in Turkey’s southeastern Kurdish province of Diyarbakir (Amed) after a 19-day search has sparked protests, with outrage and suspicions surrounding her death.
Protests erupted in Istanbul, Diyarbakir, and other cities after Guran’s body was discovered, with demonstrators holding her pictures and placards reading “What happened to Narin?” Protestors chanted slogans like “Women together, strong together.”
“After she went missing, Narin Guran was killed. She was put in a sack and brought to the edge of the stream … and was covered with tree branches and stones in a way that would not cause suspicion and to give a natural appearance,” Diyarbakir Governor Murat Zorluoglu said in a press conference on Sunday.
Turkish authorities have arrested 21 people in connection with the case, including members of Guran's family - her father, brother, uncle, and cousins are among those detained.
Her body was sent to forensic experts to determine the exact cause of death.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to bring the perpetrators of the act to justice.
“We will ensure that those who murdered Guran are brought to justice,” Erdogan said on X.
Search teams from Diyarbakir and Ankara coordinated efforts to locate Guran, combing the area over a 19-day period until her body was found. However, Gouria Atli, head of the Diyarbakir Bar Association, raised concerns about how the body could have been moved unnoticed despite the intensive search operations in the vicinity.
Residents, including those who personally knew Guran, voiced concerns about the safety of their children. Suspicion particularly surrounds Guran’s father and brother, who have both been detained.
Protests erupted in Istanbul, Diyarbakir, and other cities after Guran’s body was discovered, with demonstrators holding her pictures and placards reading “What happened to Narin?” Protestors chanted slogans like “Women together, strong together.”
“After she went missing, Narin Guran was killed. She was put in a sack and brought to the edge of the stream … and was covered with tree branches and stones in a way that would not cause suspicion and to give a natural appearance,” Diyarbakir Governor Murat Zorluoglu said in a press conference on Sunday.
Turkish authorities have arrested 21 people in connection with the case, including members of Guran's family - her father, brother, uncle, and cousins are among those detained.
Her body was sent to forensic experts to determine the exact cause of death.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to bring the perpetrators of the act to justice.
“We will ensure that those who murdered Guran are brought to justice,” Erdogan said on X.
Search teams from Diyarbakir and Ankara coordinated efforts to locate Guran, combing the area over a 19-day period until her body was found. However, Gouria Atli, head of the Diyarbakir Bar Association, raised concerns about how the body could have been moved unnoticed despite the intensive search operations in the vicinity.
Residents, including those who personally knew Guran, voiced concerns about the safety of their children. Suspicion particularly surrounds Guran’s father and brother, who have both been detained.
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