Özge Sebzeci Named BJP Ones to Watch 2025 for Femicide and Refugee Photography

British Journal of Photography (BJP) has named Istanbul-based photographer Özge Sebzeci to its Ones to Watch 2025 cohort, nominated by artist Mert Acar. Sebzeci documents Turkey's femicide crisis and the lives of Syrian refugee girls. Her project 'Cries and Whispers' follows families of murdered women, blending documentary and abstract imagery. A second long-term series, 'I Am Beautiful but My Destiny…', focuses on young Syrian girls forced into early marriages. Turkey hosts the world's largest refugee population; most are Syrian. Sebzeci uses a medium format camera and intentionally obscures faces to protect subjects. She studied international relations, worked as a film assistant and fixer for foreign journalists, and contributes to National Geographic, Time, Die Zeit, and The Atlantic. Her practice prioritizes long-term relationships with subjects. The femicide project was sparked by the 2015 murder of Özgecan Aslan, which triggered mass protests. In 2024, 394 women were killed by men in Turkey, with 258 suspicious deaths, per the We Will Stop Femicide Platform. Sebzeci views both projects as ongoing, noting femicide rates are not declining. She remains in contact with Syrian girls and may follow them if they return to Syria.