A shocking attack inside a Turkish courthouse has reignited urgent debates about the safety of women and judicial security. A female judge was shot and seriously wounded by her former husband, who is a public prosecutor, during court proceedings in Istanbul.
Courtroom Chaos and a Prisoner's Intervention
The violent incident unfolded on Tuesday, around 1:00 pm local time, at the Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals located on the Asian side of the city. The assailant, identified as Muhammet Çağatay Kılıçaslan, opened fire inside the courtroom, targeting his ex-wife, Judge Aslı Kahraman.
According to reports from Turkish media, the gunshot caused severe panic among court staff, lawyers, and members of the public present. Judge Kahraman sustained a serious gunshot wound to the groin. In a critical turn of events, Kılıçaslan attempted to fire a second shot but was physically restrained and prevented from doing so.
The person who intervened was a prisoner on day release, who was assigned to work serving tea within the courthouse. Authorities confirmed his courageous action, which police sources said prevented further harm. Judge Kahraman received immediate first aid at the scene before being rushed to the hospital, where her condition was later reported as stable.
Swift Arrest and Outcry from Women's Groups
The suspect, Kılıçaslan, was arrested at the courthouse shortly after the shooting. Security forces sealed off sections of the complex as investigators gathered evidence and spoke to witnesses.
The attack drew immediate and fierce condemnation from women's rights organizations across Turkey. The prominent We Will Stop Femicides platform issued a statement highlighting the grim irony of the location.
"A female judge was shot with a firearm by her former husband, a prosecutor, in full view of everyone at the Istanbul Kartal Anatolian Courthouse, the very place where perpetrators should be punished," the group stated. They added pointedly, "Women can be shot with firearms even inside courthouses."
Broader Pattern of Violence Against Women in Turkey
Advocacy groups directly linked this brazen attack to a wider, alarming trend of violence targeting women in the country. They argue that such incidents have increased since Turkey's controversial withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in 2021. This international treaty obligates signatory nations to implement comprehensive legal and institutional measures to prevent and prosecute gender-based violence.
Official government data on femicides is not published in Turkey. However, figures meticulously compiled by the We Will Stop Femicides group reveal a harrowing reality. Their data shows that in 2025 alone, 294 women were killed by men, with an additional 297 women dying under suspicious circumstances.
The group's analysis indicates that more than a third of the murdered women were killed by their husbands or partners, and firearms were used in over half of these fatal attacks. The shooting of Judge Kahraman inside a symbol of justice has become a powerful and tragic emblem of this national crisis.
