On occasion of the approaching International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, November 25th, the Afrin Canton branch of the Women's Council of North and East Syria issued a statement regarding the Turkish state's crimes against women in the occupied Afrin canton.

Dozens of female members of the Autonomous Administration institutions, the Kongra Star and political parties gathered at the square of Berxwedan Camp in Fafin district, Shehba Canton, to make a statement.

The statement was read by a member of the Women's Council, Zalloukh Rashid.

Recalling the Turkish crimes, the statement said, "The history of the Turkish state is full of massacres and genocides based on oppression and dictatorship, undermining freedoms, and sexual intolerance towards women."

The statement referred to the escalation of the anti-women approach during the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), saying; "Since the AKP came to power, violence has escalated more and more, and the history of the Turkish state has become even darker than it was. Also, it has become crystal clear to everyone that one of the Turkish state's policies towards the people, especially towards women, is the systematic operations of persecution and abuse, especially against female human rights activists.

Turkey witnesses daily tragic incidents against women, as hundreds of women are killed by men annually under false pretenses and excuses without the Turkish government taking any measures to curb these escalating crimes. The government is rather trying to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention which provides for the protection of women from violence and the protection of their rights. Besides, thousands of women are jailed in Turkish prisons, where they are subjected to torture, ill-treatment and assault. Also there are women on hunger strike, and many of them fell as martyrs while on hunger strike, the last of whom was Ebru Timtik.

The Turkish state follows the same policy in the areas it occupies, as the city of Afrin and its people have tasted the scourge of violations and heinous practices, especially against women.

According to the Human Rights Organization of Afrin, there are more than 1000 kidnapped women and more than 67 cases of murder and rape. In addition, underage girls are forced to marry mercenary elements under threat and coercion, so we find many families leave Afrin again because of the horror they live in and the pressures exerted on them, which the Turkish government has been planning since the beginning of the occupation in order to bring about demographic change to the region and Turkify it.

"Therefore, we find that the violations of the Turkish occupation are a humanitarian issue and require condemnation, because they amount to war crimes against peoples."

The Women's Council in North and East Syria in Afrin condemned "these inhuman and immoral practices of the Turkish state."

The council appealed to "all humanitarian, human rights and women organizations, to undertake their duty and send human rights committees to Afrin to investigate and observe the situation of women in general, and especially inside prisons."