HDP Women's Assembly spokeswoman Ayşe Acar Başaran spoke about the recent developments in a press conference at the party's headquarters.

Başaran said that the 8 March and Newroz celebrations showed that Mr. Öcalan is considered as the main interlocutor for the solution of the Kurdish question through democratic and peaceful means.

NEWROZ'S MESSAGE

“The most important messages of Newroz and 8 March raised concern over the isolation and the situation in prisons,” Başaran said.

SITUATION IN PRISONS

“The government is responsible for every death in prisons. The government cannot evade this responsibility. The policies of isolation in prisons and the hostile policies towards sick prisoners should be abandoned immediately,” she said.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

“In the first 2 months of 2022, 49 women were killed as a result of male violence. 49 women suspiciously lost their lives. In the last 3 months, 8 women lost their lives falling from the balcony,” Başaran revealed.

'DISCOUNT' IN SENTENCE

“As women face male violence at home, in the middle of a street and in the workplace, the government has proposed a change in the Turkish criminal law (TCK),” Başaran remarked.

Başaran said that according to the amendment in the TCK, men who express remorse before a judge will receive a "discount" in their sentence if found guilty.

“Amendments in law have been introduced to acquit men. Judges are trained under a male-dominated system, and make efforts to understand men.”

JUDICIARY ENCOURAGES MEN

“The government should immediately rejoin the Istanbul Convention instead of making these ostensible laws,” she said, pointing out that the approach of the judiciary promotes policies to encourage men. “The judiciary encourages men, the government encourages men, and men are provoked and used as a force against women. Women are forced to remain silent about it. We have said many times before that we would not accept this life.”

WAR POLICIES

“War means migration, harassment, rape, sexual violence and poverty for women. War means the exploitation of the female body. War means turning the female body into a battlefield,” Başaran remarked.

“Under this hegemony created by men, countries are occupied just like women's bodies. Women are seen as booty during war times. Unfortunately, war is a pornographic form of violence,” she added.

WOMEN WILL NOT TAKE SIDE IN THE WAR

Başaran noted that women will not take a side in the war. “The government claims that it is a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, however, it is carrying out invasion attacks against South Kurdistan and Rojava. Women should talk about peace against the war policies carried out both in Turkey and in Kurdistan, the Middle East.”

“We are calling out to all women: Let's talk about peace, a women's alliance and solidarity together. As the HDP Women's Assembly, we are aware of our responsibility. We believe that the common struggle of women, the alliance of women, will win against this war and men's alliances. I also believe that women will expand the common struggle and establish a new life.”