Turkey: As Women Protest Violence Against Women And Ask For The Enforcement Of “Istanbul Convention” They Face Violence, Women Journalists Are Impeded At Work
Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: August 13, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Women all around Turkey join hands to protest the discussions to withdraw from “Istanbul Convention” -- The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence -- despite facing police induced violence and detentions the last of which happened last night which also impeded the work of Mesopotamia Agency reporter Eylem Akdağ and Evrensel Ekmek ve Gül reporter Burcu Yıldırım.
On August 12, members of Ankara Women's Platform gathered together to form a "Life Chain" at the exit of Kolej Metro station, against the withdrawal of signature from the Istanbul Convention. The women were initially not allowed to gather around the barricaded station.
Mesopotamia Agency reported that the women reacted against not being allowed to gather and form the chain, threw purple paint at the police who tried to disperse the crowd with violence.
During the intervention against women, a female police officer was heard saying "one of them scratched my hand, I must take my revenge." 30 women, including two lawyers and Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Eylem Akdağ, were thrown to the ground by tens of women police officers and detained with handcuffs.
The women were interrogated on the grounds of “resistance to the law numbered 2911 and the police”, the women who were later released did not testify at the police, saying that they were subjected to ill-treatment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism deplores the violence, unjust detention and violation of the right to freedom of expression and assembly that the women were subjected to. It is unacceptable for Eylem Akdağ to be detained and that the work of women journalists were impeded while they were doing journalism on the ground. Turkey should act within the responsibility of being a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights. We stand with Turkish women and join their call in chanting “Istanbul Convention Keeps Women Alive”.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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