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Turkish police detain protesters demanding stronger protection for women

The demonstrators tried to enter the main pedestrian street, Istiklal, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

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Police detained dozens of people in Istanbul who tried to join a rally. Photo: Pexels

AP Istanbul

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Police detained dozens of people in Istanbul who tried to join a rally on Monday calling for greater protection for women in Turkiye, where more than 400 women have been murdered this year.

The demonstrators tried to enter the main pedestrian street, Istiklal, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in defiance of a ban on all protests in the area.

Earlier, police barricaded all entrances to Istiklal and to the city's main square, Taksim, while authorities shut down several metro stations to prevent large gatherings.

Many demonstrators were protesting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision in 2021 that withdrew Turkiye from a landmark European agreement known as the Istanbul Convention. The treaty, which aims to protect women from violence, was signed in Istanbul in 2011.

 

Erdogan's decision came after some members of his Islamic-rooted ruling party accused the treaty of promoting LGBTQ+ rights and other ideals they said were incompatible with Turkiye's traditional family values.

On Monday, Erdogan dismissed calls for Turkiye's return to the convention and reiterated his government's commitment to protecting women.

The local advocacy group We Will Stop Femicide says 411 women have been murdered in Turkiye in 2024.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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First Published: Nov 26 2024 | 7:04 AM IST

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