A second Uzbek national has been confirmed dead in Istanbul, according to the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul. The victim, identified as Sayyora Ergashalieva, born in 1994 in the Namangan region, had previously been reported missing.
Turkish law enforcement authorities informed the consulate that Ergashalieva disappeared shortly after the killing of her close friend, Durdona Khakimova, whose dismembered body was discovered in a garbage container in Istanbul in January 2026. Ergashalieva and Khakimova were reportedly close friends.
According to Turkish media reports, Ergashalieva’s family in Uzbekistan lost contact with her after January 23 and sought assistance from the Uzbek Women’s Rights Association in Turkey. The association’s president, Azade Islamova, together with lawyers Ezgi Ekin Arslan and Cevat Bozkurt, met with the family and outlined possible legal steps after suspicions emerged that Ergashalieva may have been present at the residence where Khakimova was killed.
The family traveled to Turkey and filed a formal complaint with the prosecutor’s office on February 6. Subsequent investigative actions confirmed Ergashalieva’s death. Her parents, who had gone to Turkey hoping to find her alive, were informed of the outcome as the investigation progressed.
Preliminary information from Turkish investigators indicates that on January 22, the two women and several suspects met for lunch at a restaurant in Istanbul’s Fatih district. During the meeting, a dispute allegedly arose between Ergashalieva and one of the suspects. Investigators believe the conflict may have been linked to Ergashalieva’s stated intention to return to Uzbekistan.
Authorities allege that on January 23, two suspects, identified as Dilshod Turdimurotov and Gofurjon Kamalkhojaev killed Ergashalieva and disposed of her body in garbage containers in the same district. The following day, investigators say, the suspects used her phone to send a message to Khakimova, luring her to a meeting. Khakimova was subsequently killed, and her body was found in Istanbul’s Şişli district.
Turkish prosecutors have detained the suspects, who have reportedly confessed. A preventive detention measure has been imposed, and the case materials have been submitted to the court. The investigation remains ongoing.
Local media reported that Ergashalieva’s body had been located but had not yet been transferred to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute, according to the Consulate General. Officials have not released further details pending confirmation.
Earlier, the killing of Khakimova sparked public protests in Turkey. Groups of women gathered in Istanbul and Ankara, condemning what they described as systemic violence against women, including migrant women. Feminist organizations organized a march in the Şişli district, beginning near the Osmanbey metro station and ending on the street where Khakimova’s body was discovered. Participants carried banners and called for stronger protective measures and prevention mechanisms.
The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul stated that it is closely monitoring the case and cooperating with Turkish law enforcement authorities. It expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said the public would be informed as additional verified information becomes available.
