Deniz Poyraz, the HDP member who was murdered in Izmir on 17 June, was commemorate at a sit-in for the Istanbul Convention. The women will be protesting until 1 July when the decision to withdraw from the Convention comes into effect.
The ‘We Won't Give Up the Istanbul Convention’ Izmir Campaign Group continued the vigil they started in defense of the Convention in front of Alsancak Türkan Saylan Cultural Center. This is the 9th week of action to condemn the withdrawal by Presidential decree from the Istanbul Convention. The decision will come into effect as from 1 July.
The women held banners saying "We won’t give up the Istanbul Convention" and chanted slogans like "AKP, hands off the Convention".
Maile Ariç and Pınar Usta read a statement on behalf of the women.
“We call on all segments of society to reclaim the Istanbul Convention from now to 1 July and to try and force a reversal of the decision together through democratic and creative methods. What we will lose will not be limited to the Istanbul Convention.”
The statement said that women are isolated from social life and sentenced to domestic work, and added that an amnesty is on the agenda for child abusers. "Despite everything they have done to prevent women from protesting, since 20 March we are on the streets, we are everywhere. Because for us, this is a struggle for life.”
Condemning the murder of Deniz Poyraz in the armed attack carried out on 17 June against the HDP Izmir Provincial Building, the women said: "This attack and murder is an attack not only on HDP but also on democracy and social opposition. We are witnesses to the murders committed by armed men. We witness the murders of women who were not protected despite dozens of complaints. As in the case of Musa Orhan, we witness the state's protection of murderers. As women, we will not remain silent in the face of attacks on democracy and the struggle for peace. We will keep Deniz Poyraz alive with our struggle.”
