Toll of ‘İstanbul Convention’ protests: 178 people detained, 23 prosecuted

* News and photo: MA

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Some four months after Turkey's final withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention by a Presidential decision amid widespread protests, the Social Law Women's Group has prepared a report on "violations of rights committed during the İstanbul Convention protests and impunity."

The findings of the report were shared with the public at a press conference in Ankara earlier today (November 5).

At the conference held at Mor Mekan (Purple Place), a banner of "We don't give up on the İstanbul Convention, İstanbul Convention saves lives" was hung. While several women attended the conference, lawyer Irmak Bakır read out the statement for the press.

Bakır defined the annulment of the İstanbul Convention as "a concrete step of the government's assault on women's struggle for freedom."

Police violence during 8 of 18 protests

Bakır shared the following information about the interventions against the İstanbul Convention protests in Ankara:

"We see that there were a total of 18 attempted street protests in the Ankara/ Kızılay/ Sakarya region from August 5, 2020 to July 1, 2021. Two of these protests were the statements attempted to be held in front of the courthouse about the court cases filed against women.

"In 8 of the 18 protest demonstrations, women and LGBTI+s were subjected to police violence and tear gas.

"In 7 of the 8 protests demonstrations, women's freedom was restricted as well and 106 people were detained.

"While two women were taken into custody over the banners they hung and the tweets they posted, the total number of the detained was 108.

"Lawsuits were filed against students for joining the Pride Parades; one investigation is still continuing.

Women started marching to Barbaros Square with the slogan, 'Prevent murders, not women'. Following the forum at the square, police detained eight women.

"Women gathered at the Kadıköy İskele Square in İstanbul upon the call of the Enforce the İstanbul Convention Campaign Group.

"The march to be held after the protest attempted to be prevented by police barricades twice. While the women were dispersing, police started detaining them by citing the slogans as the reason. One woman was detained.

"The march attempted to be held in İzmir on August 5, 2020 was attacked by the police.

"After 16 people were rear handcuffed, battered and detained, the other women in the area staged a sit-in protest.

"Five more women were taken into custody after the protest. A lawsuit was filed against the 18 people who were detained on charge of "violating the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations."

What happened?

Turkey has withdrawn from the İstanbul Convention with a Presidential decision published in the Official Gazette on March 20, 2021.

The decision in question said that "the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, which was signed by Turkey on May 11, 2011 and approved with the Cabinet Decree no. 2012/2816 on February 10, 2012, shall be terminated on the part of Turkey as per the Article 3 of the Presidential Decree no. 9."

Following this Presidential decision published at midnight, several social media users, women's rights defenders, lawyers and politicians, denounced the decision, recalling that the convention was unanimously approved at the Parliament and stressing that it is not possible for Turkey to withdraw from an international convention with a Presidential decision.

After the Presidential decision pulling Turkey out of the İstanbul Convention was met with criticisms and objections in both Turkey and around the world, the Communications Directorate of the Presidency released a written statement about the issue on March 22.

"As known, Turkey was the first signatory to the Istanbul Convention," the statement noted, arguing that the "İstanbul Convention, originally intended to promote women's rights, was hijacked by a group of people attempting to normalize homosexuality – which is incompatible with Turkey's social and family values. Hence the decision to withdraw."

The 10th Chamber of the Council of State finalized the court cases demanding the stay of execution and annulment of the Presidential decision withdrawing Turkey from the İstanbul Convention ahead of July 1, when the İstanbul Convention will no longer be in force in Turkey, according to the Article 80 of the Convention regarding denunciation.

By a vote of three to two, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State has rejected the requests for the stay of execution and annulment of the Presidential decision, which has pulled Turkey out of the İstanbul Convention, or the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. (EMK/SD)