![Feminist Artists Laying it All out on the [Clothes]Line](https://static.bianet.org/system/uploads/1/articles/spot_image/000/163/814/original/510.JPG)
Feminist artists and women in working in the arts came together to demand justice for Nevin Yıldırım.
Feminist artists saying, “We are divulging all the injustices we are experiencing, one sheet at a time, to secure justice for women!” started a campaign with the Nevin Yıldırım stencils they applied and the messages they wrote onto the sheets.
Nevin Yıldırım had been sentenced to life for killing her rapist. The conviction on Yıldırım will reach a final conclusion after the process at the Supreme Court of Appeals.
The women are going to come together on Galatasaray Square, bringing their sheets, on Thursday April 16th at 6:30 pm to demand the Supreme Court of Appeals reverse the life sentence verdict.
Women wronged by the justice system
Products of collaborative studio work by the artists, the sheets with Nevin Yıldırım were hung on various buildings in Istanbul.
Artist Arzu Yayıntaş explained the campaign to bianet, saying they chose sheets as material hoping this would facilitate participation and spread the women’s messages, as everyone has them in their home. She spoke about their aims as follows:
“Nevin Yıldırım is a symbol for women wronged by the justice system. There are lots of women in her shoes. We believe the life sentence given to Yıldırım ought to be reversed at the Supreme Court of Appeals. We know that men who kill women get abatements and we think the Nevin Yıldırım verdict reveals a double standard is in place. This struggle belongs to us all, to all women.”
“The Supreme Court of Appeals must abolish this injustice”
Almost 300 women artists signed the appeal below:
“We are divulging all the injustices we are experiencing, one sheet at a time, to secure justice for women! “We, feminist artists and women in working in the arts, demand the necessary steps be taken to stop discriminatory and unjust practices against women and to secure justice immediately. “Nevin Yıldırım who stood trial for killing her relative who had been raping her for a long time, experienced a great injustice when she was sentenced to one of Turkey’s Penal Code’s gravest sentences, life in prison. Experiencing threats, oppression, violence, and rape, and getting pregnant as a result, Nevin Yıldırım had to kill Nurettin Gider to escape rape and protect herself. Nevin was forced to give birth in the period she was jailed pending trial, even though she wanted to end her pregnancy. Although she had clearly acted in self-defense and should therefore not have received a sentence, she did not even receive an abatement, which is standard practice for men who kill women, let alone being acknowledged to have acted in self-defense. The Supreme Court of Appeals where the appeal will be held must abolish this injustice and Nevin Yıldırım should be set free. “We invite all members of the press and all women to Galatasaray Square on Thursday 16 April 2015 at 6:30 pm where we will share the petition we prepared for The Call for Justice for Nevin." |
Click here for the campaign’s Facebook page. (ÇT/PU)
Click here to read this article in Turkish.
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