RT.com
26 Nov 2021, 11:42 GMT+10
Turkish riot police unleashed tear gas to disperse a large crowd of demonstrators protesting violence against women in Istanbul, as well as the government's withdrawal from an international treaty devoted to combating it.
The massive group of protesters, reportedly numbering in the thousands, marched to Istanbul's Taksim Square on Thursday to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. They met a heavy police presence in the square, which was barricaded off by officers clad in riot gear, who proceeded to fire tear gas on the crowd after ordering it to disperse.
Scuffles with police were captured in videos circulating online, showing officers moving in on the demonstrators to clear them from the area as tear gas wafted through the air.
Protesters were also seen carrying a colorful assortment of signs and banners, some even toting flares, while others chanted anti-government slogans and demanded an end to what's been dubbed by some activists as 'femicide.' Some 345 women in Turkey have been killed in acts of gender-based violence so far this year, just shy of the 410 reported in 2020, according to We Will Stop Femicide, a women's rights group.
The protest, which was mirrored on a smaller scale in other cities across the country, comes after the Turkish government formally withdrew from an international treaty meant to address violence against women in July. Known as the Istanbul Convention, the pact was originally negotiated in the same city in 2011, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to pull out of the deal has been sharply criticized both by local activists as well as foreign leaders, with US President Joe Biden calling the move "deeply disappointing."
Ankara claimed the convention had been "hijacked" by "people attempting to normalize homosexuality," which it said was "incompatible with Turkey's social and family values." Nonetheless, the government insisted it would not "give up on its fight against domestic violence," and would "continue protecting the safety and the rights of all women."
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Greek Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Greek Herald.
More InformationLONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
LONDON, U.K.: A little-known investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as the most prominent public backer of U.S....
SYDNEY, Australia: Australia will not ease its strict biosecurity rules during trade talks with the United States, Prime Minister Anthony...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 3 (ANI): In a major relief for borrowers, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that banks...
Washington DC [US], July 3 (ANI): American tech giant Microsoft will lay off nearly 9,000 employees, about 4 per cent of its workforce...
* Indonesia is currently the world's largest producer of nickel and holds the biggest-known reserves of the metal, an essential component...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing...
(250703) -- SEVILLE, July 3, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Tourists walk amid the heatwave in Seville, Spain, July 2, 2025. Spain continues to endure...
Tel Aviv [Israel], July 3 (ANI/TPS): The government of Israel approved the implementation of what it called a broad compensation plan...
Chinese premier to attend 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil, visit Egypt China looks forward to working with all parties to consolidate...
New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI):Union Home Minister Amit Shah has congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and all agencies...