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Hanaa Ebu Zeyneb, a 19-year-old Necmettin Erbakan University student, was found dead at the cafe where she worked in Konya on the second day of Eid al-Fitr on March 21.
Although the case was reported in some media as a suicide, her family says they do not believe this account and want the circumstances of her death to be fully clarified.
Her relatives describe Hanaa as someone who loved life and eagerly planned for the future. They emphasize that her recent behavior, personal notes, and strong family ties entirely contradict the idea that she would take her own life.
Her sister, Aya Ebu Zeyneb, shared that Hanaa was far from withdrawn. In the days leading up to her disappearance, she had been giving pocket money to her siblings, buying them gifts, and had even purchased an outfit for her upcoming graduation.
According to Aya, Hanaa had written in her notebook that she had goals for 2026, including buying a car, learning to drive, and possibly buying a home.
Aya said the family could not understand how someone with such plans could have died by suicide. She also raised another unanswered question, asking where Hanaa could have obtained the rope allegedly involved in the incident.
Her brother Halil Ebu Zeyneb said the family was trying to stay strong while pursuing the truth about what happened.
Another sister, Nur Ebu Zeyneb, also said she did not believe the suicide claim. She said Hanaa loved life, cared for herself, and had shown no sign of wanting to harm herself. Nur added that there had been no known harassment or threats against her sister.
According to Nur, Hanaa had spent time with her family and school friends on the eve of Eid al-Adha and was also with them on the first day of the holiday. She said Hanaa’s final moments with the family appeared normal.
Nur also drew attention to Hanaa’s working conditions. She said Hanaa worked as a waitress at the cafe for ₺110 (about $2.4) per hour, had no insurance, and was trying to cover her school expenses.
She had worked there the previous summer, stopped when school started, then returned in the second semester and died at the same workplace.
Human rights advocate Taha el-Gazi, who follows the rights of refugees and migrants, said the case had caused deep concern in migrant communities.
He criticized the lack of media attention, saying the death of a Syrian student and worker had still not been covered widely, even after several days.
Gazi said similar cases involving Syrian workers often struggle to gain public attention. He argued that many asylum-seekers have died in workplaces without receiving sufficient coverage and called on state institutions to strengthen labor safety protections for foreign workers.
Referring to figures from the Health and Safety Labor Watch Council (ISIG), Gazi said 600 Syrian workers had died at workplaces over the past decade.
He said the Labor and Social Security Ministry, the Family and Social Services Ministry, and the Presidency of Migration Management should work together to ensure the safety of foreign workers.
Gazi also pointed to the family’s claim that Hanaa was uninsured and said the case raised questions not only about the death itself, but also about working conditions, labor rights, and the visibility of refugee workers in Türkiye.
The family said it wants the facts around Hanaa’s death to be brought to light.
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