Court Bans March 8 Poster in Diyarbakır

Diyarbakır 1st Judge Council banned an International Women's Day billboard poster published by Democratic Free Women Movement, on the ground that it violated Turkish Anti-Terror Act Article 10.

"The council rules that the bilingual poster holding 6 women's pictures including PKK members is propagating PKK/KCK terrorist organizations. The distribution of the poster is prohibited and all published posters will be removed," the council ordered in a statement.

The poster holding pictures of Rosa Luxembourg, Clara Zetkin, Leyla Qasım, Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan and Leyla Şaylemez wrote "Your word is our word. Your path is our path".

"When we were told to come to the police station concerning the poster, they asked us about who Rosa was," Şaneşin Aydın, a March 8 demonstration organizer, told bianet.

"They [police] didn't believe in our explanation and said they will research Rosa themselves. Police also ordered us to remove our own posters because it wasn't their duty to. They said they would write a ticket if won't."

Governor authorities also banned Democratic Free Women Movement's vehicles to promote a demonstration event on March 3 where Peace and Democracy Party deputy Gülten Kışanak is expected to deliver a short speech.

"If the governor allows, we will also launch a walk on March 3. We are inviting everyone to join and struggle with us despite all the bans and pressures,"Aydin said. (ÇT/BM)