Women Protesting Male Violence by Dancing Charged with 'Degrading the State'

* Photo: Social media

Click to read the article in Turkish

On November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the women of Chile protested male violence and sexual assaults by dancing. Their dancing protest #LasTesis has spread to world.

Upon the call of Turkey-based We Will Stop Femicide Platform, hundreds of women came together in Kadıköy, İstanbul yesterday (December 8) and danced in support of women in Chile.

Dancing to the song composed by Las Tesis "If I say no, it is a NO, you cannot insist. No to harassment", the women also put black veils on their eyes and attached the note "Law no. 6284" on their collars, referring to the Law on Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women.

The women dispersed after the dancing protest. However, police officers intervened against the women and took seven women into custody, namely We Will Stop Femicide Spokesperson Fidan Ataselim, Nisa Kör, Seda Elhan Barbaros, Ayşen Ece Kavas, Yaprak Okatalı and Sevda Yeniköylü.

Governorship: They are in custody due to slogans

The Governorship of İstanbul has released a written statement about the detention of women and the intervention of the police:

"An event was held by the We Will Stop Femicide Platform at İskele Square in Kadıköy at 3 p.m. today with the aim of 'raising concerns over the women's rights and violence against women in the country of Chile.'

"In the event organized by the platform members, the group who chanted slogans with the expressions 'you are the rapist, you are the killer, police officers, judges, state and president' was informed that what they did was a crime and they were given enough time to stop the protest and disperse.

"However, as the group insisted on not dispersing and kept on chanting the slogans constituting a crime, the square started to be evacuated by the Women Group of Riot Police Branch Directorate.

"7 people who provoked the event and resisted against the security forces were taken into custody upon the instructions of the Public Prosecutor's Office. It is respectfully announced to the public."

'Not a slogan, but lyrics of the song'

İpek Bozkurt abd Tuba Torun, the attorneys of We Will Stop Femicide Platform, have announced on their social media accounts that the detained women are charged with "violating the Law 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, insulting the President and degrading the State of the Republic of Turkey and Institutions and Bodies of the State as per the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK)."

Bozkurt has also stated the following on social media: "While their depositions were taken, we said with Tuğba Torun, 'Don't write Şile (a district in İstanbul), but Şili (Chile in Turkish). We couldn't help asking them whether they watched Las Tesis on social media. No one in the room watched it. It was difficult to put a rebelling dance-music performance into words..."

'Police did not abide by the law'

Attorney Torun has also shared the following information: "We left the depositions. There are three accusations: Violating the Law no. 2911, insulting the President and degrading the institutions of the state (TCK 301). As someone who was there during the performance, the police intervened without following the due procedure of dispersing stipulated by the law."

Women made a call to the courthouse

In a statement released by the We Will Stop Femicide Platform, it has been indicated that the detained women are held in İstanbul Anatolian Courthouse in Kartal. The platform called on everyone to gather in front of the courthouse at 10 a.m. local time in Turkey.

(EMK/SD)