Mutlu Kaya, 19, who reportedly received death threats after appearing on Sesi Çok Güzel, remains in critical condition

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A Turkish woman who has been competing in a national televised song contest is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head, according to reports.

Turkey: three held over shooting of female talent show contestant Read more

Mutlu Kaya, 19, from the conservative region of Diyarbakir in the Kurdish-majority south-east of of the country, had reportedly received death threats after appearing on the show.

Kaya was attacked at her home in Ergani district in the early hours of Monday, Dogan news agency reported. The assailant reportedly fired a bullet into the house through a back window in the garden.

The victim had been appearing on Sesi Çok Güzel, a show similar to Britain’s Got Talent. Her mentor is Sibel Can, one of Turkey’s best-known folk-pop singers.

The Posta newspaper reported on Sunday that Kaya had been threatened by relatives after travelling to Istanbul to take part in the contest.

Local officials told the state Anatolia news agency that the attack was being investigated.

“My beautiful girl Mutlu, how could they wound you? I am very sad,” Can wrote on her Instagram account. “Her health situation is now critical, I wish for a speedy recovery.”

Sibel Can pays tribute to Mutlu Kaya on Instagram

The Kurdish community in south-east Turkey is known for its conservative customs and women are expected to perform a traditional role.

The attack on Kaya comes amid intensifying anger nationwide over violence against women, with hundreds of wives killed by their husbands every year.

The murder and attempted rape of a 20-year-old student, Özgecan Aslan, by a Turkish bus driver this year triggered protests and calls for tougher punishments on men who assault women.