A teenage trans woman was left blind and covered in third-degree burns after an acid attack allegedly committed by her ex-boyfriend who she had recently broken up with.
Asya Cevahir who had just celebrated her 18th birthday was leaving her home in Beyoglu in Istanbul when she was attacked with acid at around 6.30 pm March 9.
The teenager is a refugee from Syria and it’s said the attacker was her ex-boyfriend, Emre Bozkurt, who is Turkish.
She told police she had recently broken up with him and identified him as the attacker and said that he had previously threatened to kill her.
Asya was taken to hospital with severe burns on her face and only 15% vision remaining in one eye and is currently getting treatment at the Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital in the city.
Distressing footage shows her with her face heavily bandaged in a hospital bed.
She manages to sit up in her bed but it is clear she is severely injured.
Police initially did not arrest the man she said was responsible for the attack, who remained free, despite her obvious injuries.
The apparent lack of intent to arrest him prompted widespread protests online with the hashtag #EmreBozkurtTutuklansın trending on Twitter.
It has since been revealed this weekend that police have now acted to take him into custody.
Friends of the teenager said that regardless of anybody’s opinion on gender, everybody should unite to condemn such attacks and in particular to protect LGBT individuals.
This comes after a transgender woman and model was thrown into a men’s prison in Indonesia – sparking outrage from human rights campaigners.