27/11/2023 | Writer: Aslı Alpar
Police didn’t allow women to march during the November 25 protest banned by the Diyarbakır Governorship.
Photos: Aslı Alpar / Kaos GL
Women gathered in Diyarbakır at Dünya Kavşağı for November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The police blockaded women gathered at 16.00 upon the call of the Diyarbakır Network for Struggle against Violence and Dicle Amed Women’s Platform (DAKAP) saying “We invite all women to march against war, violence, poverty and assimilation on November 25.”
Women chanted slogans such as “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom)“, “We don't stay silent, we are not afraid, we do not obey” and “Where is Gülistan Doku?”
Blockaded by the police women reacted against their claim that “illegal singing was heard" by saying “Stop the murderers, not the women!”
“Three governors have been changed and Gulistan has not been found!”
Aygül Doku, elder sister of Gülistan Doku whose fate and whereabouts have been unknown since January 5, 2020, also participated in the protest. Doku made a speech and said: “Gülistan Doku was a 21-year-old university student. She went missing. The main suspect, Zaynal Abakarov, was not effectively investigated. Abakarov and his family were allowed to move. Three governors have been changed and Gulistan has not been not found.”
The police prevented the protesters from marching and announced at 17:00 that they would detain the women.
“Serious indications that public order and security will be disrupted”
Diyarbakır Governorship put a ban on the march planned by women on November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women saying:
“Considering that there are serious indications that public order and security will be disrupted in such a way as to bring ordinary life to a standstill or to interrupt it, in order to ensure public order and public peace, to protect public health and general morality, to provide safety of life and property of our citizens, and to prevent crimes; the notified protest, ‘reserving the right to make a press statement without any marching activity before or after’ is banned on the grounds of Article 17 and Article 19 of Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstration and Article 11/a, 11/ b and 11/c of the Provincial Administration Law no. 5442.”
Translation: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights, women
