Hikmet Tunç

VAN - Before the 'Women's Meeting' held in Van with the slogan "Istanbul Convention Keeps Alive", an indictment was prepared against seven women who called for participation by sharing videos on their virtual media accounts.

The Istanbul Convention, which is the guarantee of methods to prevent and combat all kinds of violence against women, was terminated with the Presidential Decree on the night of March 20. The convention which was terminated unilaterally, was repealed as of July 1. Despite being one of the first signatories of the convention, which has been on the agenda of both the government and women for nearly two years, women expressed their reactions in every field they were in against leaving the conventionwithout providing a reason. On July 1, when the slogans "We do not withdraw from the Istanbul Convention" and "Istanbul Convention keeps alive", women took to the streets in every field they were in.

However, the government, which claims that the convention breaks the family integrity and develops hate speech against LGBTI+ individuals every time, continues its misogynistic policies by preparing fines and investigations against women who object to this after the cancellation of the convention.

An indictment has been prepared for women who say ‘Istanbul Convention keeps alive’

An indictment was prepared against seven women whose statements were taken on April 22 because Free Women’s Movement (TJA) and People's Democratic Party (HDP) Van Women's Council members shared the video they prepared as a call for the march they wanted to hold on April 10 for the Istanbul Convention, on virtual media. Seven women, including HDP's Tuşba Municipal Council member Ayşe Minaz, Muradiye Municipality Co-Mayor Leyla Balkan, who was replaced by a trustee, and Ceyda Dindar, who was held in Van T Type Women's Prison, from another file, for whom an indictment was prepared by the Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. They will appear in court on charges of “opposing the law on assembly and demonstration marches”.

‘We are against all forms of violence against women’

Noting that the call they made in the police statement covered all women in the city, Ayşe said: ‘’This is a call that states that we are against all forms of violence against women. I would like to state that there is no call here that could trigger social events or lead to hatred. While I was making this call, I used my rights specified in the law on demonstrations and marches given to me by the Constitution.’’

‘I do not want to be killed by a man either’

Leyla, on the other hand, stated in her police statement that she shared the video on her virtual media account. Leyla said: ‘’Like other women who were killed, I do not want to be killed by a man. The Istanbul Convention is a convention that fully defends and protects women, and I call on women to embrace the canceled convention. This is my most natural right. I invite women to the struggle because I do not want other women to be subjected to violence and rape. I don't have any intentional purpose in this.’’

The names of the women who will appear before the judge regarding the video in question are as follows: HDP provincial executive Nurcan Kayar, HDP İpekyolu District Co-chair Canan Uzunay, TJA activist Dilan Yıldız, Tuşba Municipality Council member Ayşe Minaz, Muradiye Municipality Co-Mayor Leyla Balkan, who was replaced by a trustee. Rojbin Bor, a member of the Star Women's Association, and Ceyda Dindar, held in Van T Type Women's Closed Prison, from another file.

Seven women will appear in court on December 11.