'Gültan Kışanak Belongs With Us, Women'

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Nearly 100 women and LGBTI organizations have reacted against Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality co-Mayor Gültan Kışanak being taken into custody and said "We shall never ever accept this threat made to all women who become empowered, speak out, object, and refuse to bow down".

Women and LGBTI organizations have made a statement against Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality co-Mayor Gültan Kışanak being taken into custody and said "We women stand with Gültan Kışanak, our friend in our struggle for peace, equality and freedom. Gültan Kışanak Belongs With Us, Women and we demand her release".

The statatement signed by nearly 100 Women and LGBTI organizations pointed out that Kışanak was arrested and taken under custody in the town where she had been elected mayor with 55% of the vote.

Noting that the arrest of Kışanak came at a time in which the appointment of trustees destroyed the gains achieved by women in local and municipal governments, the stament reads further as follows;

"These appointed administrators who have replaced elected mayors by way of statutory decrees (issued by the cabinet) have either closed down or rendered ineffective all women's centers and units operating within municipalities. With Kışanak's arrest, the extent that attacks on women, their elected leadership and democracy has reached is painfully clear.

"Kışanak is a mayor who has implemented an equal gender quota, has imposed sanctions on male municipality workers who inflict violence against women, and has supported local structures and businesses that aim to make women actors in public, societal life rather than keepers of the home. Her arrest also signifies the hijacking of the very idea of gender sensitive municipal work, women's struggle and women's voices.

"We shall never ever accept this threat made to all women who become empowered, speak out, object, and refuse to bow down. We women stand with Gültan Kışanak, our friend in our struggle for peace, equality and freedom. We declare that we shall not remain silent until she has been released, and until all antidemocratic practices and pressures against municipalities are brought to an end". (ÇT/DG)

Signees:

Women's Initiative for Peace
Ahtamara LGBTI Wan
AKA-DER Women's Group
Adana Women's Solidarity Center and Shelter Association (AKDAM)
Ankara Foundation for Women's Solidarity
Ankara Women's Platform
Ankara Feminist Collective
Antalya Feminist Collective
Antalya Women's Consultation Center and Solidarity Association
Izmir Independent Women's Initiative
Bartın Women's Solidarity Association
Bakırköy Women's Solidarity
The Peace Mothers
Bodrum Women's Solidarity Association
Association to Combat Sexual Violence
Çekmeköy Women's Council
Datça Women's Initiative
Demir Leblebi Women's Association
Democratic Islam Congress Women's Council
Women from the Revolutionary Party (Devrimci Parti)
Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DİSK) Emekli-Sen Retired Workers Association Women's Secretariat
Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DİSK) Women's Committee
Women from the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DİSK)/Genel-İş Public Service Workers
World March of Women Coordination of Turkey
Ekmek ve Gül (Bread and Roses)
Women from the Labour and Justice Platform (Emek Adalet Platformu)
Women from the Labour Party (EMEP)
Esenyalı Women's Solidarity Association Kadın Dayanışma Derneği
EŞİTİZ- Equality Monitoring Women's Group
FeminAmfi
Feminist Çukurova
Feminist Workshop/Cyprus
Feminists İzmir
Filmmor Women's Cooperative
Women from Migrants' Association for Social Cooperation and Culture (GÖÇ-DER)
Gökkuşağı Women's Association
Legal Aid Office for Sexual Harassment and Rape in Custody
Women from Halkevleri
Women's Councils of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK)
Hêvî LGBTİ
Human Rights Association Ankara Branch Women's Commission
Human Rights Association Central Women's Commission
Human Rights Association İzmir Branch Women's Commission
İstanbul Human Rights Association Women's Rights Commission
İmece House Workers' Union
İmece Women's Solidarity Association
Day-Mer Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre Women Commission, UK
İnsani Değerleri Yüceltme Derneği
İstanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association
Istanbul Technical University Feminist Group
İzmir Amargi
İzmir Women's Solidarity Association
İzmir Women's Action Group
İzmir Social Psychologists
Kongreya Jinen Azad (KJA)
We Will Stop Femicide Platform
Women's Labor and Employment Initiative Platform (KEİG)
Women's Labor Collective
Women's Freedom Assembly
Women Writers Association
Women's Initiative to Combat Violence Against Women
Women's Solidarity Foundation (KADAV)
Women for Women's Human Rights – New Ways Association (WWHR)
Kampus Witches
Kaos GL Association
Kaws Kuzah LGBTI
Women from the Kocaeli Solidarity Academy
Confederation of Public Workers Union (KESK) Women's Assembly
Keskesor Amed LGBTI
Women from the North Forest Defence
Lesbian Bisexual Feminists
Mersin LGBTI 7 Colours' Education and Research Association
Women from Mesopotamia Cultural Center (MKM)
Mor Barikat (Purple Barricade)
Mor Dayanışma (Purple Solidarity)
Nor Radio Women Programmers
Nor Zartonk Women's Council
Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) İstanbul Branch Women's Commission
Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) İzmir Women's Commission
Pink Life LGBTT Association
Women from Radio Flora / Hannover
Women Without Borders
Social Aid Network-SODA
Women from the Association for Social Rights
Socialist Women's Councils (SKM)
SYKP Women's Council
Turkish Medical Association Women Doctors and Women's Health Division
Turkey Homenet/ Home-based Working Women's Solidarity Network (Ev-ek-sen)
Women from the Association of Solidarity with Families of Prisoners (TUHAD)
Ümraniye Women and Youth Home
Women from the Association for Solidarity and Support for Relatives of Disappeared Persons (YAKAYDER)
New Democrat Women (Yeni Demokrat Kadın)
Women from the New Way (Yeni Yol)
Women of the Earth (Yeryüzü Kadınları)
Green Left Women
Green Feminists
Yoğurtçu Women's Forum
Platform for Struggle for Women held Captive by Force