The funeral of Saliha Ozkol, who was murdered by her ex-husband on Monday, was held on Tuesday afternoon in Ayios Georgios, near Trikomo, where she lived.

It was attended by the north’s ‘interior minister’ Dursun Oguz, Turkish Cypriot Trikomo mayor Hasan Sadikoglu, and opposition party CTP leader Sila Usar Incirli, who stressed that “femicides are political”.

“Unless a comprehensive system is established and effectively implemented to protect women, prevent violence, and combat its many forms, femicides and violence against women will continue,” she warned.

She stressed that “establishing this system, enforcing the laws, allocating the necessary resources, making the institutions work, and holding those responsible for every loss accountable is a political responsibility”.

Ozkol was killed by her ex-husband at her home in Ayios Georgios on Monday morning.

Her husband, meanwhile, reportedly also “seriously injured himself” after returning to his home in Famagusta, and was taken to hospital.

News website Bugun Kibris reported that in 2024, Ozkol had been “subjected to violence” by her then husband, and was knocked unconscious by him.

He appeared at the Turkish Cypriot Famagusta district court on July 21 last year, facing charges of trespassing, assault, illegal possession of a knife, battery and failure to comply with a restraining order which Ozkol had taken out against him.

Later, on August 15 last year, a new order was issued by the Turkish Cypriot Trikomo family court, which forbade the man from being within 200 metres of Ozkol, and from communicating with her in any way.

He was also sentenced to three months in prison for the assault case at the time.