Name
Kader Ortakaya
Biography
Kader Ortakaya, 28, was born to a working class family in the Siverek district of Urfa. She was a woman who started working at a young age, trying to contribute to her family through her work.
In order to support the labor movement, in which she was also active, she used her academic time after graduating in sociology at Eskişehir Anadolu University, Turkey, by writing her research papers on labor movement issues in the Department of Development Economics and Labor Economics at Marmara University. Kader Ortakaya was a member of the Initiative for a Free Society (TÖP-G).
Place
Suruç/Urfa, Northeastern Turkey
Date
6 November 2014
Description
On November 6, 2014 the Free Art Initiative tried to reach the border of Kobanê through a human chain action. The border had been closed by the Turkish government to prevent humanitarian aid and human rights observations and to cover up Turkey’s support for the IS. The Free Art Initiative action was banned and attacked with tear gas and Live Ammunition. In this attack, a border guard shot Kader Ortakaya with a bullet to the head.
Current legal situation
According to a Bianet report dated November 10, 2020 (https://bianet.org/english/human-rights/234242-prosecutor-stalled-investigation-into-ortakaya-s-killing-in-border-area-after-intelligence-note), the report of the Forensic Medical Institute (ATK) Scientific Committee confirms that on November 6, 2014, Kader Ortakaya was murdered at the border in the Suruç district of Urfa by a targeted shot from a soldier. According to Ayça Söylemez’s report from Bianet, based on this new evidence, a petition was filed with the Suruç Attorney General’s Office to reopen and expand the investigation. According to lawyer Müslüm Baran, the latter has not yet taken any action to find the murderer of Kader Ortakaya.
