Medium is the message in this case.

In Turkey, dead bodies on the streets are covered up with newspapers.

The newspaper’s itself that we published on March 8th is used to create an outdoor installation. The materials of the installation is only the print ad. It resembled a woman’s dead body covered up with newspapers on the street. So we used our own print to give the message “Don’t let femicides be covered up!”

The increase in domestic violence and femicide rates in Turkey reached extreme levels. Women were brutally murdered, and the truth behind these deaths was often swiftly covered up by authorities or inadequately investigated. Suspicions were left unresolved, and perpetrators went unpunished. Additionally, in Turkey, it was common practice to conceal discovered dead bodies with newspapers.

To draw attention to these brutal femicides, the theme of "covering up the truth" emerged as a focal point. An installation featuring a mannequin on March 8th, covered entirely with newspapers only with a striking headline highlighting this issue, contributed to the project's viral impact.

Over the past few years, domestic violence and femicide rates increased dramatically in Turkey. As femicides continued to rise, Turkey made the decision to withdraw from the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention, while also contemplating the possibility of repealing statute 6284, a law aimed at preventing domestic violence against women. Furthermore, a majority of femicide cases have been surrounded by suspicions regarding the deaths. In 2023 alone, there were a total of 248 suspicious female deaths.

International Women's Day was commemorated with marches and protests addressing women’s injusices, including these deaths. Women were advocating for justice in any way possible, yet they were often silenced, and the public normalized the deaths.

BirGün Newspaper took on the mission of supporting human rights and the women's struggle in Turkey. As BirGün Newspaper, it was essential to raise awareness about suspicious female death cases and serve as the voice of the public.

According to 2023 annual report by We Will Stop Femicides Platform, there have been 248 suspicious deaths of women.

There was something wrong with these deaths as there were so many suspicions around them. In Turkey, whenever a death body was found in the streets, it is typically covered by placing newspapers over it. This unfortunate habit was also seen in femicide cases. The truth behind these cases were also covered up rapidly, with remaining suspicions. The next day of these murders, only few of them were appeared in a minority of newspapers.

On International Women's Day, March 8, BirGün Newspaper created a unique installation aiming to make the public question. “Covering up the truth” being the center of the idea, an installation consisting of a dummy and covered up with a headline stating, “Don’t let femicides be covered up!” was created in the heart of Istanbul.

As a newspaper trying to shed light on the issue for years, writing about it in articles was one option. However, to break through the short attention span of the media and get the recognition it deserved, more needed to be done. Steps were taken to ensure that suspicious deaths grabbed the attention of both the public and authorities. There was something wrong about these deaths, and it needed to be highlighted in the most impactful manner.

First, we piled all the suspected female death articles previously published in Birgün Newspaper and turn them into a one-page archival print, a special edition for International Women’s Day.

The print carried a single message, a headline hard to ignore: Don’t let femicides be covered up!

On the same day, we turned the print into an ambient installation on the street. It resembled a woman's dead body covered up with newspapers. Once passerby started sharing the visual on social media, the issue went viral. Hundreds of people took their own Birgün Newspaper and used it as protest banners during Women's Day marches. The print became the symbol of the marches.

The installation swiftly entered Turkey’s agenda and gained viral attention. It was shared on social media by thousands of people. However, due to its significant attention and its poignant portrayal of these deaths, law enforcement authorities promptly removed it. The news of the installation was featured in BirGün Newspaper the following day and distributed to newsstands. The special edition was subsequently highlighted in news programs and utilized as a banner during international women’s day marches, becoming a symbol of them, which were once again halted by brutal police intervention. The measurable results are as follows: 2 million reach on Instagram, 5 million media reach, 3 million clicks, and a reach of 10 million views.

BirGün wasn't an organization that viewed news as a commodity to be marketed, but rather a newspaper that believed in public values as an independent entity. Its mission was to give voice to the voiceless and bring to light the truths that were kept hidden. In an environment where democracy and consequently pluralism were dwindling, shedding light on what was hidden became a duty.

Bringing attention to the covered-up femicides and uncovering the question marks was not just a matter of news value for the newspaper, but rather a necessity to fulfill its obligation to the public.