Disappearance of Yildiz Kayali leads to severe punishment for partner

Yildiz Kayali
Age: 42
Disappeared: December 2023
Residence: Zevenaar, Netherlands
Origin: Turkish
Children: 3
Perpetrator: partner

Yildiz, born in Turkey, lived at the end of 2023 with her partner in Zevenaar, a town in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands, near the German border. She was 42 years old and led an apparently normal life with him; both were employed. On December 29, 2023, Yildiz suddenly disappeared. She did not show up at work, and her children in Turkey heard nothing from her. Her partner, 60 years old and also of Turkish origin, was later held responsible for her death and the concealment of her body.

On October 29, 2025, the Arnhem court sentenced him to 18 years in prison for manslaughter. There was no charge of murder, as the court found no premeditation. The judge noted that he never revealed the whereabouts of Yildiz’s body. He was also ordered to pay each of her three children 17,500 euros in damages. The man was absent from the verdict and intends to appeal.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.