Women Gathered in Kadıköy Protesting Against Coups

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Women have gathered in Kadıköy district of İstanbul to defend their freedoms against coups.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ and MPs Pervin Buldan as well as Hüda Kaya have also attended the rally held upon call of HDP İstanbul Women’s Council, Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) Women’s Council and Kongreya Jinên Azad / Free Women’s Congress (KJA).

Women in the rally have carried banners reading ‘We defend our freedom against coups” and placards reading “To the streets to demonstration to become free against coups” and “World will change through fight of women”.

HDP The women have also pointed out that the body of Eylem Ataş to Turkey who had lost her life fighting in the United Freedom Forces (BÖG) front in Menbic/Rojava against ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria)

“Today, the women are the fraction in community who will carry out the most consistent fight against the coups in Turkey. Violence is male, you know it the best, precious women. Coup is male, war is male. Those who have forced war upon Turkey and countless other geographies, plotted coups and appealed to stage of siege and practices of state of emergency are men, these are all planned on the policy tables and headquarters of men. But we always look forward to and yearn for a free, equal and fair life.

“Both the political power and the coup plotters have assumed they could come to power by killing. But there is another option; life and democracy.

“Alevist, Sunni, religious or secular, we, all women, will join our forces and smooth the way for democratic politics. We have proved our will in Kadıköy. But this is just the beginning. We will not be driven away by the wind of the coup and won’t be the extension of the State of Emergency (OHAL).

Just when they arrived at the residence of Prime Ministry, the tanks have begun to question their destination and existence but the direction they have headed had been problematic from the beginning. One can only not stand against a coup when it targets one self. Coup is bad regardless who plots it, you need to stand united against it” (ÇT/DG)

* Photograph: @HDPkadin