‘Don’t Stop Women, Stop Feminicides’

* Photo: Aktivist Kamera Twitter account

Click to read the article in Turkish

Bar associations of Turkey have released a joint statement and denounced the police intervention against women protesting violence in Kadıköy and the detention of seven women by being handcuffed from behind.

Gathering in İskele Square in Kadıköy yesterday (December 8) upon the call of Women's Assembly, hundreds of women protested male violence by dancing to the song "No matter where I am, it is not my fault; no matter what I wear, it is not my fault." Police intervened against the women who came together for #LasTesis. Seven women have been detained.

CLICK - Women Protesting Male Violence by Dancing Charged with 'Degrading the State'

The Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB), bar associations of all provinces and the Women's Law Commission of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TÜBAKKOM) have released a joint statement:

'We condemn'

"In a period when feminicides are increasing in our country and in a process when we have experienced the sorrow and horror of the massacre of Ceren Özdemir killed by a prison breaker that she did not know, we condemn the intervention of security forces against a peaceful demonstration staged by women in İstanbul to protest violence against women.

'Rear-handcuffing is unacceptable'

"This violent intervention against a rightful and peaceful meeting against feminicides and detentions have been unlawfully preventing the right to assembly and demonstration. Defending the right to life in the face of feminicides, protesting violence and calling on the authorities to fulfill their duties mean using a democratic right.

"It is unacceptable that a dance performance which has become a symbol of violence against women in whole world was dispersed by using violence and protesters were detained by being handcuffed behind the back.

'It is a liability of the state'

"Preventing violence targeting women is a liability of the state. Accordingly, we condemn the violence inflicted by law enforcement officers and the instruction-givers on women, with whom solidarity should be expressed, and we request that the detained be released as soon as possible.

"We, as the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, bar associations and TÜBAKKOM, express our rightful demands for the prevention of violence against women and respectfully announce it to the public that we will undauntedly continue our struggle in that regard." (DB/SD)