Taner Yaylacı sentenced to life in prison for honor-related murder of Büşra Kabataş in Turkey

Büşra Kabataş
Age: 15
Murdered: October, 2023
Residence: Gebze, Kocaeli
Origin: Turkey
Children: she was a child herself
Perpetrator: Taner Yaylacı

In October, 15-year-old Büşra Kabataş was the victim of a horrific crime in Gebze, Kocaeli. Taner Yaylacı, the former partner of Büşra's mother, stabbed her 25 times and eventually burned her.

Shortly after the murder, Kocaeli police officers arrested Taner Yaylacı.

During the criminal trial, despite attempts to reduce his sentence through claims of provocation, Yaylacı received an unrelenting sentence. The court sentenced him to life in prison for the premeditated murder of Büşra Kabataş.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.