Dozens of people were detained by the police on Monday evening while attempting to stage a demonstration in central İstanbul to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the DHA news agency reported.
The demonstrators tried to hold their protest on İstiklal Street, the main pedestrian thoroughfare in the central Taksim neighborhood. However, they faced resistance from the police, who used violence and pepper spray to disperse the crowd because of a ban imposed by the İstanbul Governor’s Office.
The governor’s office blocked access to Taksim Square and restricted public transportation to prevent demonstrations planned for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed on November 25 each year.
At least 169 people were detained by the police on Monday evening, including 160 women. Seven of the detainees were referred for arrest on Tuesday, while the rest were released.
The protestors had gathered to demand immediate action from the government to address the widespread violence against women in the country, where hundreds lose their lives every year at the hands of men.
Women are urging the government to re-adopt the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty signed in Istanbul in 2011 that aims to protect women from violence. In a controversial move, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan withdrew Turkey from the agreement in 2021, citing concerns that it was undermining family values, drawing widespread criticism from rights groups and advocates for women’s rights.
Erdoğan, who spoke at an event at his presidential palace in Ankara on the occasion of the international day, said Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention has not negatively impacted the government’s determination to fight domestic violence.
Erdoğan described the Istanbul Convention as “the ideological fighting apparatus of marginal segments.”
In Turkey, gender-based violence is a significant issue. According to data compiled by the Bianet news agency, over the past 15 years men have killed 4,179 women and injured 7,221 others. The figures highlight the prevalence of femicide and domestic violence, with at least 263 women reported dead under suspicious circumstances in 2024 alone as of mid-November.
Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention has intensified concerns over the country’s commitment to addressing this crisis. Activists argue that the withdrawal, coupled with inconsistent enforcement of remaining protections, leaves women at greater risk of violence and discrimination.