Turkey: demonstration of women against abandonment of the Istanbul Convention

Audio 01:11

Demonstration against Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, June 19, 2021. REUTERS - UMIT BEKTAS

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

In Istanbul, nearly 2,000 women gathered on Saturday afternoon, June 19, to protest against the country's decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, a text which attempts to combat violence against women.

The meeting was organized at the call of more than 120 associations across the country.

They have already registered more than 180 feminicides since the start of the year.

Publicity

Read more

With our correspondent in Istanbul,

Cerise Sudry-Le Dû

Gülşah tried to enter the grounds of the park reserved for the meeting with an LGBT rainbow flag.

But the police asked him to turn around.

She is only half surprised.

“ 

They won't let us take my flag inside,

” she said.

We are facing a direction which is frightened by colors, which makes it its enemy.

 "

Out of spite, the 32-year-old activist hangs her flag on a police barrier.

But some of his friends refuse to let it go and snatch their flags from the hands of the police.

On the Asian side of Istanbul, they are more than 2,000 dancing and singing, chanting slogans.

The gathering is intended to be festive, to settle with the prospect of the country's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

Many of them brandish the portraits of those who have died in recent months.

To read also

Turkey leaves the Istanbul Convention which punishes violence against women

For Berfin, 23, there is no question of missing the event: “

 It's important to be there today.

Otherwise they think they have the right to trample on our rights. 

"

For the past few weeks, activists have been trying to organize a happening every evening.

And time is running out: the Turkish government wants to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on July 1.

See also

Turkey: feminist NGOs keep up the pressure against the withdrawal of the Istanbul Convention

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • Turkey

  • Women

  • Womens rights

  • LGBT +