The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Turkey denied a woman her "right to life" by failing to prevent her murder by her son-in-law. In Turkey, it occurs for the first time that court law against a situation for deteriorating to protect someone from domestic belligerence. The murdered woman’s daughter Nahide Opuz brought the case, she came from the southeastern province of Diyarbakir who experienced violence from her husband but she did not protected by the state due to prejudiced practices. She told to police that her mother was in danger.

The European Court in Strasbourg ordered Turkey to pay compensation her more than 36,500 Euros ($ 50,670) for damages and costs. The officials said that every year dozens of women are murdered by relatives and they called it honor killing.

Judicial compliance

Ms Opuz said to the court that along with her mother we have several times inform the Turkish police that our lives are in danger and they should provide protection to us. They did the same even a month before the death of her mother. During that period they have gone through some horrible accidents like Ms Opuz ex-husband about seven times try to harm her and tried to run them down in his car. Biased judicial compliance in Turkey has encouraged the domestic violence.

European Court for Human Rights

According to the court her husband is given three months prison on his act of car attack on her wife and also was fined 385 euros for wounding her. For killing of her mother in law Ms Opuz’s ex-husband was sentenced to life in prison. By adopting the view that he did so by protecting his family honor he was released pending on appeal.

It was found by the court the violation of Article 2 of European Convention on Human Rights, ‘The Right of Life’ occurred because the Turkish authorities did not take on time action on the violent behavior of her son-in law behavior.

‘The Prohibition of torture and of inhuman and degrading treatment’ article 3 had also been violated because the state has badly failed to protect Ms Opuz from her husband violence. “The Prohibition of Discrimination”, article 14 also been violated as the violence was gender based which is a discrimination against women. Domestic Violence is encouraged in Turkey because of Judicial Compliance.