Female Judge Shot by Former Husband Inside Courthouse During Court Proceedings
- A female judge was shot and seriously injured by her former husband inside an Istanbul courthouse during court proceedings
- The attacker was prevented from firing again by a prisoner on day release who intervened inside the courtroom
- Women’s rights groups condemned the attack and linked it to rising violence against women in Turkey
A female judge was seriously injured on Tuesday after being shot by her former husband inside a courthouse in Istanbul, an attack that has reignited debate about the safety of women even within judicial institutions in Turkey.
The shooting occurred around 1:00 pm local time inside a courtroom at the Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals on the Asian side of the city.
Source: Getty Images
Turkish media reported that the assailant opened fire during court proceedings, causing panic among staff, lawyers and members of the public present at the time.
Attack inside courtroom shocks public
As reported by Euronews, the victim was identified by local newspaper Sözcü as Judge Aslı Kahraman, who sustained a gunshot wound to the groin and suffered severe injuries. Reports said the suspect, Muhammet Çağatay Kılıçaslan, a public prosecutor and her former partner, attempted to fire a second shot but was stopped before he could do so.
A man serving tea inside the courtroom intervened and restrained the attacker. Authorities later confirmed that the individual was a prisoner on day release who had been assigned to work at the courthouse. His action prevented further harm, according to police sources.
Judge Kahraman received first aid at the scene before she was rushed to hospital for treatment. Officials later said her condition was stable following medical care.
Source: Getty Images
Suspect arrested as investigation is underway
Kılıçaslan was arrested at the courthouse shortly after the shooting and was expected to face legal proceedings. Security agencies sealed off parts of the court complex as investigators gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses.
The incident drew swift condemnation from women’s rights organisations, particularly the We Will Stop Femicides platform.
In a statement posted on X, the group said:
"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 added, "Women can be shot with firearms even inside courthouses."
Broader concerns over violence against women
Advocacy groups linked the attack to a broader pattern of violence against women in Turkey. They argue that such incidents have increased since the country withdrew from the Istanbul Convention in 2021. The convention obliges signatory states to adopt legal and institutional measures to prevent and prosecute gender based violence.
Turkey does not publish official data on femicides. Figures compiled by We Will Stop Femicides show that in 2025, 294 women were killed by men, while 297 others died under suspicious circumstances.
The group reported that more than a third of those killed were murdered by their husbands, and firearms were used in over half of the cases.
Notorious gunman kills Nigerian
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Nigerian national was shot dead inside a GO bus at the Yorkdale GO Bus Terminal in Toronto on Sunday night, a killing that police confirmed as the city’s first murder of 2026. Authorities have charged a 40-year-old Toronto man with first-degree murder following the incident.
Toronto Police said officers responded to reports of a shooting at the terminal near Yorkdale Road and Allen Road at about 7 p.m. on January 4.
Source: Legit.ng
