Turkish authorities would rather target women activists for peaceful demonstrations than protect their rights and freedoms. This demonstrates the Turkish authorities’ profound disdain for freedom of assembly and speech, and of course women’s rights.
On March 10, Turkish police detained 13 people who took part in Women's Day rallies in the Taksim district of Istanbul.
The arrests took place following a Feminist Night March for chanting anti-government slogans, but the authorities later clarified that the arrests were in response to a series of insults directed at President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The offense is punishable with a prison sentence of between one and four years.
The following day, a court imposed travel bans on 17 women and additional judicial control orders on five activists, including the child. The decision requires them to attend police stations on a regular basis until further notice.
Human rights organizations pointed to a string of reasons for concern for the women’s rights movement in the country, including Turkey's possible withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, surging domestic violence cases and femicides, as well as police interference in Women’s Day protests.
Turkey’s government has promoted a hard-line model of gender roles, and has looked to undermine the work of women’s rights activists across the country .
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