The Background
Rojin Kabaiş, a first-year student at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University’s Faculty of Education, Department of Child Development, left her dorm after dinner on the evening of September 27. When she didn’t return after some time had passed, her friends tried to contact her but were unsuccessful. On September 28, around noon, they informed the police. It was later discovered that Kabaiş had asked her friends if they wanted to go to the Lake Van shore to collect pebbles with her at around 6:30 PM on September 27, but her friends had declined the offer. On the same day, her mobile phone, headphones, the cake she had bought, and water were found on the shore. Her phone was handed over to the police for investigation. It was later discovered that in her last phone call with her mother, Rojin had mentioned going to the market to buy coffee, water, and cake.
Search efforts to find the young woman lasted for 18 days, and on October 16th, Kabaiş's body was found in the rural Mollakasım neighborhood, about 24 kilometers away from Van Yüzüncü Yıl University shore, by a 60-year-old resident, Mehmet Emin Ankay, who was watering his garden.
What Happened After Her Body Was Discovered
Kabaiş was buried at Yeniköy Asri Cemetery in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır, following a seven-hour autopsy at the Forensic Medicine Institute. Her condolence prayer was held at the Abdurrahman Enç Mourning House in Bağlar.
Van Bar Association President Sinan Özaraz stated that a non-disclosure order had been placed on Rojin Kabaiş’s case by the Van Public Prosecutor’s Office in order to protect sensitive information and preserve the integrity of the evidence gathered. The preliminary autopsy report had not been shared with the family or their representatives due to this order. Nearly 100 samples were sent to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute. The results from these samples will clarify whether Rojin’s death was due to suicide, foul play, or an accidental fall into the lake.
Father Nizamettin Kabaiş's Statements
Father Kabaiş mourned the loss of his daughter and condemned authorities for their inaction as he states in a press interview, “I have still not received any official information at the moment. They told me they would inform me, but said it was too early. They said they would notify me in four days. Our mourning continues. I haven’t received any phone calls or information regarding the autopsy. A little respect would be appreciated.”
He also went on to highlight his disbelief and torment in regards to the theories of his daughter having gone to the lake that day to commit suicide, “Heartless people are spreading rumours saying that she committed suicide. When they say that, my pain doubles. If it were suicide, would her body have been found 24 kilometers away? So many searches were conducted in the water; her body would surely have been seen. They searched 10 kilometers of the water. The search in the water was good, and I was satisfied with it. But the search on land wasn’t as thorough. I wish they had done more on land, too. They searched the nearby villages. It would have been better if they had gone to the first, second, and third villages. Still, I thank them for searching."
He also provided his insights regarding the case, speculating that there might have been substance abusers and alcohol consumers in the area, "Rojin didn’t commit suicide. No one should spread false rumors; it makes me uncomfortable. Some people harmed my daughter, she fell into the hands of bad people. They hurt her. They took her to Mollakasım, where they drowned her and threw her into the water. Everything will come to light when the autopsy results arrive. There’s no official autopsy result yet, but according to the signs, there are marks of violence on her back and kneecaps. It was clear. The university doesn’t have fences, cameras, or lights. It’s a dangerous place, a blind spot. Rojin went to the shore, and the shore and the university yard are very close, practically attached. Every student goes there. She was probably collecting pebbles. Those heartless people, the drunkards and drug users, were always there. Whatever they did to Rojin, they did it there. I know for sure that they harmed her. When I went there on the second day, I saw alcohol bottles and sunflower seed shells. The food was still there. The next day, I wanted to collect the bottles in case there were fingerprints, but I saw they had been taken. Nothing has been confirmed by the authorities yet. My pain is immense. That child was innocent, harmless, sinless. I am calling on the President, the Ministry of the Interior, the Governor of Van, and the Chief of Police in Van: whatever happens, find those heartless people and give them the harshest punishment, even the death penalty."
The pained father justified his tought process by stating, “If Rojin was going to commit suicide, she would have just jumped out of her dorm room that was on fourth floor. Why did they do this to her? What harm did Rojin ever do to them? This is not suicide. How can anyone say it was suicide? She wasn’t the type of child who would commit suicide. When I took her to Van, we ate in town, and she was in good spirits. She had no problems with anyone. She wasn’t a child who would commit suicide. Her dorm was on the fourth floor. If she were going to commit suicide, she would have done it from there. Why would she go to the water?”
Father Kabaiş also addressed the speculations and commentaries circulating the media, “They say it’s to cover it up, thinking the university’s reputation would be ruined, or Van’s name would be tarnished. Yes, they are trying to hide this tragedy. I’m chasing after the people who harmed my daughter. The head of the dormitory made the first mistake from the very beginning. I entrusted them with my child, and unfortunately, she came back as a lifeless body.”
He expressed frustration and reproach in regard to the speculations being made and questions being asked along the process, “They even questioned the meaning of her phone password (suggesting it may link to possible suicide.) They asked, ‘Why was her password like that?’ You see, I worked in different places. When my employers sent my payment, I always gave them her account. That’s why she had a long password on her phone. They’re saying, ‘She wrote this on Google, she wrote that.’ These are not evidence. People should act with some conscience. Everyone is in grief.”
Recent Developments
Samples taken from the body of the 21-year-old university student have been sent to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute to determine the exact cause of death. The preliminary autopsy at Van Forensic Medicine Institute revealed no signs of physical assault or force but noted that the body had been deformed due to prolonged exposure to water.
There were no signs of injuries from sharp or firearm-related weapons, nor any bone fractures, but discoloration was observed in the neck, knees, and arms. Samples from Kabaiş’s body have been sent to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute for further investigation to determine the exact cause of death, as it’s been suggested by the authorities that no further speculation could be made until the results come in.
Larger Implications
Rojin Kabaiş’s currently unsolved death highlights much larger issues that endanger the lives of women in Turkiye. Women’s rights protesters are calling on authorities to put an end to the inaction and take steps to halt femicides, demanding justice for the growing number of victims. The demonstrations and public outcry have spread nationwide, reflecting deep concern over persisting violence against women, with a worrying 323 reported femicides since the beginning of 2023. Turkiye has risen among alarming statistics and has one of the highest rates of violence against women, including femicides.
We see a distressing 28% consecutive increase in the number of femicides since 2021, the year when Turkiye withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, a treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The women of Turkiye feel the lack of comprehensive protection and sentencing the Istanbul Convention used to ensure with each reported death.
See: "The Importance of the Istanbul Convention" https://www.theistanbulchronicle.com/post/the-importance-of-the-istanbul-convention
Edited By: Ömer Gökce, Oya Yamaç