DEVA launches campaign against Istanbul Convention withdrawal

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan's Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) launched a campaign urging women to sue President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decree that withdrew Turkey from Istanbul Convention.

Monday March 22 2021 02:21 pm

Duvar English

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan's Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) launched a campaign on March 22 to encourage women to file lawsuits against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decree withdrawing Turkey from Istanbul Convention.

The president withdrew Ankara from the international document that protects women's rights with a midnight decree on March 20, prompting nationwide demonstrations and international support for the women's cause to protect the treaty.

"Hundreds of women across Turkey will file lawsuits to reverse this null and void ruling, we will fight legally for women and children's right to live," said DEVA Women's Policies Director Elif Esen.

Istanbul Convention mandates all signatories create policies to protect women, but it wasn't enforced properly even before the withdrawal, Esen said.

"All rulings effectively create a collection of potential murderers and abusers, if not encourage them. Insufficient and ineffective punishments increase planned femicides," Esen noted.

The presidential decree withdrawing Turkey from the convention isn't even legal, Esen said, adding that an international convention accepted by parliament can only be annulled by parliament.