Fury in Turkey as prisoner kills his wife, mum and daughter

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Three women from the same family were shot dead in Ankara on Monday, sparking fury from feminist groups who said the killer was a jailed family member let out on day release.

According to Turkish media reports, the three victims were the mother, wife and daughter of the assailant, who then turned the weapon on himself.

The suspect, who was serving time in northwestern Turkey for fraud and armed threats, had been let out of jail at the start of February for an 11-day period, the private DHA news agency reported.

"Last year, six women were killed by inmates who escaped prison or were out on temporary release. The justice and interior ministers said nothing and nobody was held responsible! And today, another inmate has again sowed terror," the Women's Solidarity Committees wrote on X.

Turkish advocacy group We Will Stop Femicides also denounced the murders and called a protest in Ankara on Tuesday night.

Figures from the group show that in 2025, 294 women were killed by men and 297 women were found dead under suspicious circumstances.

Of those killed, 35% were murdered by their husbands, and 57% were killed with a firearm.