The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Women Assembly made a press statement in front of the Parliament in Çankaya, Ankara regarding the murder of Deniz Poyraz and Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

Ayşe Acar Başaran, spokesperson of the Women’s Assembly, said the following;

“The sexist, militarist, anti-Kurdish and misogynist and male-dominated AKP-MHP alliance suppresses all opposition groups, especially women.

This government, which is hostile to society, nature, women and children, can no longer hide its true face. The crimes committed by the leaders of criminal organizations in cooperation with state officials have been exposed once again. This government which tries to mask its crimes considers women as the greatest danger because women do not keep silent and do not obey in the face of crimes against them. The government which fails to silence women, develops all its policies based on misogyny.

WOMEN WILL NOT ALLOW

The rulers of this country ignored the rights of women by saying they don't believe in the equality of men and women. By saying ‘Every abortion is a Uludere’, the government covered up the murder of 33 people in Roboski and wanted to abolish women's right to abortion. The male-dominated power, which acquitted child abusers by saying ‘nothing happens once’, has continued to promote a bill that will pave the way for child abuse since 2016. They wanted to cover up the crimes they committed against children. However, the government had to take a step back in the face of women's struggle against the legitimation of sexual harassment and abuse. Women did not and will not allow this crime to be legitimized.

They could not bear to see women in politics and administrative positions! Women who rebelled against male domination have been subjected to torture in this country. The government attacked the co-presidency and equal representation system that have inspired women all over the world. The government appointed trustees have closed centres for combating violence against women and shelters. Women's cooperatives and women's employment have been targeted by the trustees.

'POVERTY IS IMPOSED ON WOMEN'

Women have been seriously affected by the poverty that has deepened with the pandemic. The male alliance, which exploits women as cheap labour and ignores domestic labour, has turned the pandemic process into an opportunity. This government, which makes us dependent on men by imprisoning us in houses, should know very well that we will never allow our labour to be exploited.

 'WOMEN WILL BRING DENIZ'S MURDER TO ACCOUNT'

The AKP-MHP male alliance attempts to determine how many children women should have by saying ‘the Turks decrease in number. There should be at least 3 children in every Turkish family’. Furthermore, it has aimed to polarize the society by disseminating nationalism and sexism. Deniz Poyraz was the last target of sexist, militaristic and hate policies. The murderer entered the HDP İzmir headquarter easily and killed Deniz and tortured her body. Deniz's murderers are the ones who disseminate these discourses with their racist and hate policies. The head of government ally legitimized the massacre by saying ‘Deniz was a terrorist’. Women will bring this crime to account. True justice, not male justice, will try criminals.

To withdraw from the Istanbul Convention is to endorse misogyny!

To withdraw from the convention rather than to enforce it is to approve the murder of thousands of women.

We are saying it once again in front of the Turkish Grand National Assembly: You will not be able to suppress the voices and rebellion of women. Your one-man regime will not remove our rights and gains. We have solution. Our hope is alive, and we are strong.

WARNING TO MALE ALLIANCE

Here we call to the male alliance:

- As the HDP Women Assembly, we will not give up developing women's struggle and organization everywhere. You will not be able to stop our activities to create a new life by shutting down our party. We will not allow the government decisions to attack our rights and achievements.

- We will take back our rights and gains by strengthening our united struggle.

- We will continue to talk about the HDP, a pro-feminist party, wherever we are. Women will not allow the closure of the HDP. The women's struggle will not allow the HDP to be closed down.

- We will fight against the trustee regime which targets our co-presidency and equal representation system.

- We will continue to promote real justice, not male justice, in the courtrooms.

- We, the women, will establish the Ministry of Women through a struggle against those who have removed our name from the Ministry.

- We will not allow them to legitimize violence in the Violence Against Women Investigation Commission that the government puts its proxies. We do not have any expectations from the commission. Our expectation and hope are based on our struggle and solidarity.

- We will continue to say ‘We do not give up on the Istanbul Convention’ together with all women's organizations against those who target the convention.

- Our promise to Deniz and to all the murdered women is to increase our struggle.”