Izmir Bar Association demands oversight after lawyer's killing by police fiancé

The Izmir Bar Association has called for increased oversight of public officials with firearm privileges following the killing of 26-year-old lawyer Özge Penbegül. Penbegül was shot and killed in the Menemen district of Izmir by her fiancé, a police officer, who subsequently committed suicide.

Bar Association President Serhat Sökmen stated that the incident should not be dismissed as a “madness” or a “personal tragedy,” noting that such patterns are not isolated. Sökmen highlighted previous cases involving police officers as perpetrators of violence against women to illustrate a systemic issue regarding the lack of supervision over those holding state-sanctioned weapons.

The Association is demanding regular psychological evaluations for armed public officials, the suspension of firearm permits for those deemed a risk for violence, and stricter disciplinary measures, including dismissal from service, to prevent further femicides.